Telecommunications Director Fethi Şimşek, in an interview with a correspondent from Anatolia, said 294 Web sites have been permanently shut down for reasons such as obscenity, encouraging people to gamble and for insults directed at Mustafa Kemal Atatürk -- the founder of the modern Turkish Republic -- and the Turkish nation since last November. "Since then, we have received more than 4,000 reports from our citizens that certain Web sites included different types of immorality. After evaluating these [complaints], we decided to permanently block access to 294 Web sites," he noted.
Şimşek, emphasizing that the Internet bureau established on Nov. 23, 2007 within the Department of Telecommunications has been very successful in fighting against offenses committed via the Internet, said most of these Web sites were blocked for violating Article 226 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) on obscenity, Article 227 on prostitution, Article 228 on gambling, Article 13 over the sexual abuse of children and Article 190 on the use of drugs.

Şimşek said the Department of Communications is working on a project to put into service a hotline through which citizens will be able to lodge their complaints. "We'll start a hotline from which everyone will easily be able to reach us and have peace of mind -- and we'll do so as soon as possible," he noted.

Şimşek also stressed those who wish to make a complaint about a Web site can visit or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Today's Zaman

Güncelleme Tarihi: 18 Mart 2008, 14:31