URGENT - Internet Censorship in Turkey!

[nichola]

Following on from the banning of web sites with letters that spell words like anal, today I received this.

This is very worrying and would I would urge you all in a world that is going mad to sign the petition.

Türkiye: internet sansürüne hayir!
http://www.avaaz.org/tr/no_internet_censorship/?vlen

Dear friends across Turkey,

Our government is trying to censor the Internet. The BTK is pushing through a new regulation that would force every single Internet user in Turkey to submit to extensive content filtering when they go online. Let's build the biggest petition in Turkish history and force the BTK to abandon internet censorship!
 
Our government is trying to censor the Internet. A new regulation would force every single Internet user in Turkey to submit to extensive content filtering when they go online.

The BTK is pushing regulations that would force each of us to choose between one of four Internet filters that block us from accessing hundreds of words and websites. No computer in the country will have access to the Internet without signing up for this censorship. And, to top it off -- the government will not release the list of websites blocked by each filter.

The new system is a violation of our right to freedom of expression and access to information, and it has absolutely no legal basis under Turkish law. The BTK is under enormous pressure already, facing backlash from across the country. We can unite the opposition -- creating the largest petition in Turkey's history against Internet censorship and for freedom of information. Sign the petition now, and forward it to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_internet_censorship/?vl

BTK's Internet censorship violates the European Convention on Human Rights and the Turkish constitution. And yet they're still trying to force it through.

The BTK claims they are providing families with an important service, and that if we choose the "standard" filter, our Internet access won't change. But this is clearly a lie to generate support for censorship. The filters are already readily available for download by anyone who wishes to install them -- this regulation will make filters mandatory. The BTK would have total control over which internet sites are blocked under the filters and could add or remove sites without our knowledge -- giving them the power to ban thousands of new websites without any good reason.

We can stop the BTK from taking away our right to freely access information on the internet. Click below to sign the petition and we will deliver it in a massive national march opposing internet censorship on Sunday:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_internet_censorship/?vl

The wave of democracy movements that is building across the planet has been spawned online -- and proven that our ability to stay informed, express ourselves freely, and communicate with each other is critical to our ability to tackle all the other pressing issues facing our country and our world. If we fight this regulation and win, it will be a victory for every other issue we care about. Let's seize this moment!

With hope and determination,

Ozlem, Emma, Mia, Rewan and the whole Avaaz team

SOURCES:

Internet Filter Opposes Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (Bianet.org)
http://www.bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/129364-internet-filter-opposes-fundamental-rights-and-freedoms

Government agency wants to install filtering software on every computer (Reporters Without Borders)
http://en.rsf.org/turkey-government-agency-wants-to-install-06-05-2011,40238.html

Turkey's Internet law needs to be reformed or abolished (OSCE)
http://www.osce.org/fom/51828

Internet Should not Become the "Voice of Ankara" (Bianet.org)
http://bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/129279-internet-should-not-become-the-voice-of-ankara

[Scunner]

Done

Had problems finding UK/Great Britain etc in the country list and there it was in the end, dear old Ingiltere  

All you need to put in is name (isim) email address, country and a post code, job done  

http://www.avaaz.org/tr/no_internet_censorship/?vlen

[AndyLin]

All done

[stoop]

Keith,

It might be worth making this a sticky so that it doesn't get swamped with replies and then those coming from FB can easily find their way to the petition.

[brianthegardener]

Done

[calvin 1949]

Done!!

[Colwyn]

Hey, actually saw my name scrolling down on this one!

[Eric]

Done

[Firo]

Done and shared on FB

[busybee]

also done