Gov't should be a dictatorship against those betraying Turkey: Erdoğan ally

Erdoğan seeks to shut, control social media platforms in Turkey

Duvar English

Homeland Party (Vatan Party) leader Doğu Perinçek supported President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wish to restrict or shut down social media platforms, saying that the "government should be a dictatorship.”

On July 1, President Erdoğan said that he wished to control or shut down social media platforms like Twitter, on which his daughter Esra Albayrak was targeted the previous day. 

Some Twitter users had targeted Albayrak and her husband and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak about the birth of their new child following rumors that the latter had been unfaithful. 

Homeland Party (VP) leader Perinçek said that social media platforms only offered "freedom of corruption, decay, vulgarity and debauchery.”

"We don't accept the freedom to insult women, to belittle people or be unfair. There's no freedom to betray your country or to support terror. We reject the freedom to be America's butler or pawn. The government should be a dictatorship against this," Perinçek said. 

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) had reportedly already drafted a bill regarding social media restrictions, and President Erdoğan said that he hoped legislation would pass on the issue before the end of session. 

Turkish gov’t working on bill to regulate social media

However, Turkey's Interior Ministry already frequently detains civilians and politicians for social media use, launches investigations into account holders and restricts the use of social media.

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