OSCE media freedom representative welcomes Turkish court decision to lift ban on YouTube, encourages further media reforms
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VIENNA, 1 November 2010 - Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today welcomed the lifting of a YouTube website ban in Turkey, calling it a positive and long-awaited decision by the Turkish judiciary system.
"I am pleased to hear that after three years, people in Turkey can once again freely access YouTube," said Mijatovic. "The ban prevented Internet users in Turkey from being part of the global information society."
An Ankara court ruled on 30 October to end a ban on the Internet video website that began in 2007. Before the ban, the website had been among the most popular sites in Turkey.
"I hope that this breakthrough is only the first in the lifting of bans on Internet websites in Turkey," Mijatovic said. "I encourage Turkey to continue in this direction by reforming its Internet law and lift remaining website bans."
Mijatovic's office has long been calling for the reform of Turkey's Internet law, also known as Law No. 5651, which has served since 2007 as the basis for mass blockings of websites in the country.