Türkiye Detains 162 for Online Praise of School Shootings
Turkish authorities have detained 162 individuals in connection with online content praising recent deadly school shootings and spreading disinformation. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that 95 people are currently in custody, while 35 additional suspects are being sought. The crackdown involves blocking access to 1,104 social media accounts and shutting down 93 Telegram groups linked to provocative posts. Investigators identified users who targeted specific schools, resulting in the detention of 67 individuals associated with threats against 54 educational institutions. A significant focus was placed on a large Telegram group named 'C31K,' which had approximately 100,000 members before being disbanded for sharing attack footage and discussing future assaults. In Istanbul, a separate investigation led to the detention of six minors for threatening a school in the Üsküdar district to incite public panic. The Interior Ministry emphasized its determined efforts to combat online provocation, with coordination established among 171 chief public prosecutor’s offices across all 81 provinces. Officials stressed that those glorifying violence or exploiting these tragedies will face strict legal consequences as digital activities remain under close monitoring.
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Türkiye Detains 162 for Online Praise of School Shootings
Turkish authorities have detained 162 individuals in connection with online content praising recent deadly school shootings and spreading disinformation. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that 95 people are currently in custody, while 35 additional suspects are being sought. The crackdown involves blocking access to 1,104 social media accounts and shutting down 93 Telegram groups linked to provocative posts. Investigators identified users who targeted specific schools, resulting in the detention of 67 individuals associated with threats against 54 educational institutions. A significant focus was placed on a large Telegram group named 'C31K,' which had approximately 100,000 members before being disbanded for sharing attack footage and discussing future assaults. In Istanbul, a separate investigation led to the detention of six minors for threatening a school in the Üsküdar district to incite public panic. The Interior Ministry emphasized its determined efforts to combat online provocation, with coordination established among 171 chief public prosecutor’s offices across all 81 provinces. Officials stressed that those glorifying violence or exploiting these tragedies will face strict legal consequences as digital activities remain under close monitoring.
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