The protests have been of no avail. The Turkish President Gul has approved a controversial Internet law. So that the government can now block content on the Internet without a prior court order. Gul admits that there were problems with the press freedom in Turkey.

The hope of journalists, opposition activists and President Abdullah Gul, the project could still tilt, were in vain. Just two weeks after the Turkish parliament approved a new Internet law, Gul signed the document. The plans provide that the Minister of Communications may decide without court order which content may no longer be available.

Gül announced his decision via Twitter. There he founded his agreement with the fact that the government accepting criticism and will revise the law still. So there should be talks with the opposition about, according to the Communications Minister Lutfi Elvan, as the judicial review may be improved at Internet censorship.

The law allows Elvan to block websites within four hours. The current draft, according to a waiting period of up to 48 hours on a court order is no longer necessary. The government justified the law with the protection of privacy rights on the Internet. So should “insults” can be removed immediately.

According to the ruling AKP party you could also make mandatory that a judge will be informed within 24 hours over a barrier and must confirm the decision within a further 24 hours. Otherwise, the lock will be invalid. The largest opposition party, the CHP said, these changes were “positive but not sufficient”.

Turkey Internet Censorship Law:Law is considered as an instrument of censorship

On 30 March are in Turkey landmark municipal elections, and in the summer does the Turkish people about a new president from. The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to their authoritarian nature, because of the harsh crackdown on protesters Gezi the summer of 2013, because of an ongoing corruption scandal and because of the dramatic depreciation of the Turkish lira in the criticism. The Internet Law suggest many in this tense political situation as an instrument of censorship.

Gul got the anger of the opponents of the bill to be felt immediately. They launched a campaign on Twitter using the hashtag # UnfollowAbdullahGül, more than 70,000 people cleared Gül from the list of those to whom they followed.

During a trip to Hungary Gul conceded before traveling journalists, however, that there were problems with the press and freedom of expression. The worldwide reputation of Turkey had suffered. “There must be no pressure on the press,” he said. In this case, according to the organization Reporters Without Borders sit anywhere so many journalists in prison as in Turkey. He take the complaints of journalists very probably true, said Gul. However, he urged the observance of moral standards: “They report in front of millions of people, because you also have a responsibility.”

Turkey Internet Cencorship Law:YouTube hit shows Erdogan’s influence on media

That the government has an influence on the reporting, it had become clear before an audience of millions only few days ago. On YouTube, appeared on a video in which is heard as Prime Minister Erdogan complained during Gezi protests at the news channel Haber Türk, that is reported in a news treadmill through the speech of an opposition politician. Erdogan spoke this with a Haber Türk manager, who had then remove the message.

The 4:20 minute long video has since been clicked more than one million copies. Who has recorded the conversation and posted online, is unclear. Erdogan acknowledged after its release, having phoned last summer at Haber Turk. His reason: He had to take action against “insults”.

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