Turkish Cypriot Journalists Union Targets Unregistered News Sites
The Turkish Cypriot Journalists Union (KTGB) has lodged a complaint with the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTHK) about several internet news sites operating without proper identification, aiming to uphold the integrity of the journalism profession.
In response, the BTHK has decided to block access to seven internet news sites reported by the KTGB, citing legal violations, and has informed the relevant authorities of this action.
In a letter dated August 20, 2024, BTHK President Kadri Bürüncük explained that following a legal and technical evaluation conducted under Article 15(2)(B) of the Cyber Crimes Law No. 32/2020, it was found that while some sites initially appeared to have masthead information, they did not comply with legal requirements. Specifically, the masthead information failed to accurately identify the Responsible Editor and publication center, or it lacked an accessible address and contact number for verification.
The sites affected by this decision are:
www.kibrisxhaber.com
www.kibrishaber.com
www.ulakgazetesi.com
www.sporhaberajansi.com
https://lefkoşa.online
https://kibrisdakik.com
https://kibristagundem.com
Bürüncük stated that the decision to block access to these URLs, as outlined in letter BTHK-BSY/2024-02 dated August 22, 2024, was because they did not comply with rule 15(2)(A) of the law. Consequently, access providers were notified yesterday to block these sites for two days.
CALL FOR NEWS SITES WITHOUT IDENTIFICATION TO BE REPORTED TO KTGB
The Turkish Cypriot Journalists Union urged its members to report any online news sites that continue to publish without proper identifier information.
