Turkey lifts ban on YouTube two years after blocking access to websiteOctober 31, 2010 - 18:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey has lifted its ban on YouTube, two years after it blocked access to the website because of videos deemed insulting to the country's founder. Transport Minister Binali Yildirim, who is in charge of internet issues, said the government had been in contact with Google, which owns YouTube. Yildirim said there was no longer any reason to ban the website, because the offending videos had been removed. Insulting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk or "Turkishness" is illegal in Turkey. The video clip prompting the ban was reportedly posted by Greek users of the website and dubbed Ataturk and Turks homosexuals. The move was nevertheless widely criticized by many Turks, including by President Abdullah Gul, who asked officials to find a solution. Speaking on Turkish television on Saturday, Mr Yildirim said the ban had been lifted after "common sense prevailed". "But we didn't get here easily - we have been through a lot in the process," he told NTV. "I hope that they have also learned from this experience and the same thing will not happen again. YouTube will hopefully carry out its operations in Turkey within the limits of law in the future," he added. In a statement, YouTube said that it had received reports that some users in Turkey were once again able to access its content. "We want to be clear that a third party, not YouTube, have apparently removed some of the videos that have caused the blocking of YouTube in Turkey using our automated copyright complaint process," it explained. "We are investigating whether this action is valid in accordance with our copyright policy," the company added. In 2007, Turkey's parliament adopted a sweeping law that allowed a court to block any website where there was "sufficient suspicion" that a crime had occurred. The eight crimes listed include child pornography, gambling, prostitution, and "crimes against Ataturk". In June, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said the law was being used to block access to more than 5,000 sites, making internet censorship in Turkey amongst the heaviest in the world, BBC reported. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |