Firat News Agency (ANF) has been under a new wave of attacks since June 12 elections. The address www.firatnews.ws , which was activated to enable access to the agency's page following the Turkey-based attacks as of the election day, has also been banned on the grounds of consisting a "pornographic content". ANF pointed out to "freedom enemy" policies of the AKP government, remarking that a censor mentality stands behind the attacks.

Exposed to intense attacks especially since the beginning of 2011, ANF was also targeted by days-long and frequent attacks within the election process.

Targeted by government officials, including Prime Minister, Fýrat News agency has faced lots of bans and attacks since its establishment in 2006.

In a period when intolerance toward the press is at crazy levels, and besides the arrest of many journalists, the right to information has been under intense attacks in all areas.The agency's web pages with extensions “.com”, “.eu”, “.org” and “.nu” have also been banned with court decisions. It is attention-grabbing that systematical attacks became intense in the second term of the AKP government.

The attacks which started on February 12 and continued for days targeted Roj TV and many Kurdish sites as well as ANF.  Attacks were disabled and restarted in April when the Information and Communication Technologies Authority warned the agency to "review the publications".

SCANDAL BAN

The latest wave of intense attacks began once more on June 11, one day before the elections. Against the days-long attacks ANF on occasion has to block access from Turkey. While the address “www.firatnews.ws”  has recently been activated to enable access to the page, this page today says; "The website http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www_de.cgi/http://www.firatnews.com/  has blocked for consisting of a pornographic content."

Translation: Berna Ozgencil