https://ahvalnews.com-The United States reiterated its call for Turkey to respect the freedom of the press after the country’s media watchdog warned three international outlets it would block their content unless they attain a national publication licence, Voice of America Turkish reported on Thursday.
“Our concerns about press freedom in Turkey are based on detailed evidence. We continue to warn Turkey to respect and protect freedom of the press,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a written statement to the VOA.
Turkey’s main media watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), issued a warning on Wednesday to international news outlets that they need to receive a license or risk being blocked, İlhan Taşçı, a member of the RTÜK, said in a statement on Twitter. International publications that include the Turkish language websites of Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, and Euronews have 72 hours to apply for a national publication license, or their content will be blocked, Taşçı said.
RTÜK’s decision will be published on its website within 7 to 10 days. Then the 72-hour period will begin for the outlets to apply for a license, the Council’s Vice President İbrahim Uslu told German dpa news agency, Deutsche Welle reported on Wednesday.
RTÜK’s power to regulate foreign news outlets appears to stem from a 2019 law that provides it with the power to regulate internet platforms in Turkey.
Since its enactment, large companies like Netflix have been required to seek a license, establish an office inside Turkey and pay taxes so that they may continue operating. The regulation applies specifically to companies or outlets that provide online broadcast and transmission of radio, television and voluntary broadcasting services.