Twitter was inaccessible on Turkey’s major mobile service providers on Wednesday as online criticism grew over the government’s response to this week’s deadly earthquake.
AFP reporter inaccessible social media network throughout Turkey. It still works when using VPN services that disguise the user’s location and are generally free to use.
The netblocks.org social network screen shows Twitter became regulated and then completely blocked on all major cell phone carriers.
Netblocks.com warned: “Filtering is likely to affect community rescue efforts underway in the wake of Monday’s deadly earthquakes.”
“Turkey has a long history of social media restrictions during national emergencies and safety incidents,” the monitor added.
Turkish police have arrested 18 people since Monday’s earthquake for “provocative” social media posts criticizing the way President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government responded to the disaster.
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake and its aftershocks have killed at least 11,700 people in southeastern Turkey and parts of Syria.
The disaster turned into the deadliest of Erdogan’s two decades in power – an era rife with coup plots and violent protests as well as a series of smaller earthquakes and floods. .
– ‘What we will do?’ –
Turkish social media is flooded with posts by people complaining about the lack of search and rescue efforts in their provinces.
Officials did not immediately release a statement about the Twitter outage.
But they have repeatedly issued warnings about spreading disinformation ahead of crucial May 14 elections in which Erdogan will attempt to prolong his two-decade rule.
Turkey’s opposition leaders and celebrities warn that Twitter’s absence risks disrupting rescue and humanitarian relief efforts.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main secular CHP opposition party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu declared: “Stop this disgrace immediately.”
“We know everything they’re trying to hide.”
Chairman of the Nationalist Opposition Party Iyi Meral Aksener said Twitter was needed “to convey the needs of earthquake victims.”
The two leaders lead a six-party coalition trying to agree on a single presidential candidate to run against Mr.
But the government’s apparent decision to block Twitter amid a deep national crisis has resonated far beyond Turkish politics.
Turkish rock star Haluk Levent – a crooner with 7.2 million Twitter followers and his nonprofit group is involved in helping those in need – tweeted: “Hey , what shall we do now?”
Twitter was down as Erdogan toured two of Turkey’s worst-affected provinces.
He directly acknowledged “shortcomings” in the government’s disaster handling but pledged to redouble efforts to help the victims.
“It is impossible to prepare for a disaster like this,” Erdogan said during a visit to the hard-hit province of Hatay.
