Türkiye to hold talks with Instagram over access block

ANKARA, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) — Türkiye will hold talks with Instagram officials on Monday after blocking access to the social media platform last week, the country’s Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said.
Uraloglu said a previous meeting with Instagram representatives had addressed Turkish concerns about compliance with local laws. He expressed hope for a positive outcome from the upcoming talks.
Turkish authorities have not given specific reasons for blocking access to the platform, which began on Friday.
However, the move came after the Turkish presidency’s communications director, Fahrettin Altun, accused Instagram of blocking condolence posts following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Altun described the alleged censorship as a “clear and obvious attempt” and said Türkiye would continue to defend freedom of expression against platforms that “serve the global system of exploitation and injustice.” ■