The Istanbulian
Personal Chronicles of a Turkish Journalist
Saturday, January 26, 2008
The Man Bit the Dog
YouTube is online in Turkey today! After consequent court bans, the logic of the reporting YouTube stories has changed. Now it is news when YouTube is NOT banned.
As we're enjoying the YouTube connection nowadays, I would like to whisper a conspiracy theory, which can indeed be the truth: It is said that the real reason of the recent ban was not the videos that defame Ataturk.
The user who posted those videos has got other insulting videos against Turkish President Abdullah Gul and PM Tayyip Erdogan as well. The rumour is that the target of Turkish government was to avoid its people to see those clips. The cause about "protecting Ataturk" was just a pretext.

Well, I can easily believe in this theory, because Erdogan government has got a bad record when it comes to facing criticism. Sueing cartoonists, trying to prison journalists, etc...
By the way, I don't think that another YouTube ban would come into force in the near future, especially by relying on the same justification about Ataturk. Because a massive amount of Turkish users finally discovered the "Flag" option of YouTube. Just after the abolishing of the recent ban, thousands of Turkish users flagged those really disgusting videos as "inappropriate" and YouTube acted quickly to suspend the users. So there is no need for court decisions now, as long as the people keep reacting.
PS: Those YouTube users -who are sympathizing with the terrorist organization PKK- were kebab2008 and bourjhamoudkebab.

Sunday, March 01, 2009 10:31
Hurriyet DailyNews
Turkey seeks names of YouTube's Ataturk insulters from U.S. gov't
Turkey's public prosecutor in Ankara has asked U.S. authorities to determine the identities of YouTube users that have posted insulting videos of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, and hand them over to Turkey.
Ankara public prosecutor Kursat Kayral has requested the identities of YouTube users, who insult Ataturk, Turkey and the country's flag from the United States Justice Ministry in order to launch an investigation into these users.
Those YouTube users determined to be living outside Turkey will be detained upon entering the country, pending the outcome of an inquest.
A Turkish court in Ankara ordered a ban on the world's largest video-sharing site, YouTube, in May in response to videos that it deemed insulting to Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

ne kadar turk varsa senın amına koysun

lan oruspu cocugu

naber lan oruspu cacugu ananı essekler sıksın hemı

1 hay grtsav utube en turs vdarel 80mill turkin yev tuk et antsin hay azki davajan ek asum lol

Watch real facts about Levon Ter Petrosian in my new movie.

Hayer jan amota irar utek. Aveli lava hamaxmbvenk.

Aman Aman Turqeri Mamaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!