Turkey has blocked access to social media platform Instagram, the infotech regulator says, without stating a reason or duration for the ban, which also left the platform’s mobile app inaccessible.
The move follows comments on Wednesday by Turkish communications official Fahrettin Altun, criticizing the platform for what he called its decision to block condolence posts on the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Hamas terror group’s political wing.
“This is censorship, pure and simple,” Altun, the communications director of the Turkish presidency, said on X, adding that Instagram had not cited any policy violations for its action.
There is no immediate comment from Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc META.O on either the ban or Altun’s comments.
Turkey’s Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) published the August 2 decision on its website.
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