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Türkiye Blocks Access to Instagram

FILED - 17 May 2016, North Rhine-Westphalia, Duesseldorf: The Instagram logo is seen on an Apple iPhone 6. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
FILED - 17 May 2016, North Rhine-Westphalia, Duesseldorf: The Instagram logo is seen on an Apple iPhone 6. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
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Türkiye Blocks Access to Instagram

FILED - 17 May 2016, North Rhine-Westphalia, Duesseldorf: The Instagram logo is seen on an Apple iPhone 6. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
FILED - 17 May 2016, North Rhine-Westphalia, Duesseldorf: The Instagram logo is seen on an Apple iPhone 6. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa

Türkiye’s communications authority blocked access to the social media platform Instagram on Friday.

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority, which regulates the internet, announced the decision early Friday but did not provide a reason.

Yeni Safak newspaper, which is close to the government, and other media said access was blocked in response to Instagram removing posts by Turkish users that expressed condolences over the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

“Sanctions for Instagram’s blackout policy were swift. The Information Technologies and Communication Authority blocked access to Instagram,” Yeni Safak stated in its online edition.

It came days after Fahrettin Altun, the presidential communications director and aide to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, strongly criticized the Meta-owned platform for preventing users in Türkiye from posting messages of condolences for Haniyeh.

Instagram has over 50 million users in Türkiye, a nation with a population of 85 million.

Türkiye is observing a day of mourning for Haniyeh on Friday, during which flags are being flown at half-staff.

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No 'Tangible' Terror Threat Detected since Start of Paris Olympics

France has been deploying around 30,000 police officers each day to keep the Olympics safe ( The AP)
France has been deploying around 30,000 police officers each day to keep the Olympics safe ( The AP)
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No 'Tangible' Terror Threat Detected since Start of Paris Olympics

France has been deploying around 30,000 police officers each day to keep the Olympics safe ( The AP)
France has been deploying around 30,000 police officers each day to keep the Olympics safe ( The AP)

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Friday that authorities have not detected any “tangible" terror threats during the first week of the Olympic Games, during which about 200 people have been arrested by security forces for various crimes.

Darmanin released the first official statistics regarding the Paris Olympics’ security during a visit to a police station in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris home to two major venues: the Stade de France and the Olympic Aquatics Center, The AP reported.

He said there were about 200 people arrested since July 26, including 180 taken into police custody.

They include some “individuals” who “could have” committed attacks, including on the day of the opening ceremony, Darmanin said.

Yet, he added, “there wasn’t and as of now we aren’t aware of any tangible threat from (terror) organizations. ... There is no organized attack being planned that we are aware of.”

Darmanin also stressed said there were 24% less theft associated with violence as well as 10% less car theft in Paris and in the neighboring suburban areas.

“Overall petty crime was largely reduced probably due to the hugely increased police and gendarme presence in the public areas,” he said.

Darmanin is staying on in a caretaker role at the interior ministry until a new government is formed in the wake of legislative elections earlier this month.

France has been deploying around 30,000 police officers each day to keep the Olympics safe, with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony on the Seine River.

Security forces are also backed up by a 10,000-strong contingent of soldiers that has set up the largest military camp in Paris since World War II, from which soldiers should be able to reach any of the city’s Olympic venues within 30 minutes.