Gay Web site block reveals no limit to censorship in Turkey

@ Ahmad - your ideas and values seem very typical and perverse. It is ok if you hate others because they are different or don't want your family exposed to people that are different, but the different ones will not go away. @ Ahmad Ali - it is a known fact that many men here experience sex with animals whether it is donkeys, sheep, or cattle and we can never have "Beast Sex rights" because like children, they cannot speak for themselves and consent to sex with humans. But we can have laws against abusing animals and children and women which are probably necessary. People that hate something are usually more fearful of something else.

Tomorrow they will say we want Beast Sex rights as some of us have inherent genetic tendency towards the same and it is one's right to do so..Consensual, of course !!

Why is the EU even in the discussion? If you haven't been following the news, the EU is no longer an objective the Turks will continue to commit to, it's a pipe dream, we know and you know that Turkey will not join the EU. Secondly, Turkey is not a liberal democracy, it's an authoritarian secularist state. Turkey is becoming more conservative, you are losing you're mind if you believe Turks will allow gays to walk around kissing one another and perverting their society.

Some good news at least in defending Turkish tradition and true cultural and religios values. The west has none of these ever since they adopted liberalism and have shunned any value that defined a culture as they are all about the self and not family values. Funny how some try to compare Turkey with Iran or Saudi. If banning the immoral acts of homo-sexuality puts me in the same group as them then so be it. I would rather that than have my civilisation ripped apart by immorality.

Well, how does Turkish Government expect to get in the EU with all this nonsence? It'll probably have to forget it forever. I can hear some people saying 'who cares about the EU?' Well, Turkish Government seems to care...

It is so funny that some people are still unaware of what 'freedom' is and that 'homosexuality' is something to fight against! Let me tell you, if you are not gay, you won't be gay seeing gay people express themselves in different ways.. And if you or your child becomes gay seeing them in their way of life, then you were/he was already gay. This is not flue man, not contageous. Come on! We are living(kind of) in the 21st century..or are we?

If Turkey really does want to join the European Union then it really must do better than this, else it will never be accepted. EVER. This is simply a blatent human rights violation and there is no place in the EU for countries whose state agencies behave like this. If you don't want to join the EU then fine. That's your choice. But please don't say you do, wasting people's time and then treat your citizens like this. If you were in the EU this form of censorship simply would not be allowed.

And if you have not recently read about Alan Greenspan's thoughts on economic liberalism where US policies were made so liberal assuming that the system will control itself..and how it proved wrong.Have a look on news stories, how the world policy maker says they got it wrong..sexual liberalism based on deviant behaviour will lead to the same crunch situation socially..and it is not me who is like your neighbour ..you are. You are dissatisfied with yourself and probably your existence.Islam is clear on Sexual Perversion ..don't create new rules and definitions..Islam is what it says in books and not what an ordinary mortal - a king or a ruler follows

"You are already free to believe something is wrong and not practise it yourself or teach it to your kids." - When you let out the dviant behaviour it becomes the norm and soon you will give into it. How can you distance yourself from the affects of the society you live..There is nothing wrong in being gay..just do it as you do in the four corners of your house..The whole gay libertinism is a Capitalistic endeavour to create new markets ..by your own standards.If you are not already in west, please welcome yourself to the perverted news items, where sexualiy is promoted as a sport..actually exploiting the women and weak..No moral values..actually I have European colleagues who say they will probably bring up children in another country..for all the corruption and social issues these Laissez Faire - notions of freedoms have brought.

"yes mate there is a western version of liberty, which fails to recognise social responsibility." You have obviously confused propaganda with reality. There is nothing much 'free' about the west, neither do they have a 'model for freedom' - what they have is a capitalist system that grants certain freedoms to the privileged. Not very different from the arab systems, we may add. "You have perhaps been framed with that mindset that believes in sexual deviancy as nothing wrong ." You are already free to believe something is wrong and not practise it yourself or teach it to your kids. That, however, is not enough for you: you want to 'ban' it from society. History has proven that this is impossible, and that it only leads to gross injustices. "You Mr.Robert are primitive, who caves into the demands of the dominant western filth called as civilization" No need for the dramatics. I'm not a big fan of the west in its current manifestation, and neither am I a big fan of the Arab states, Africa, or any other place in the world. In my opinion the previous generation has mismanaged the world by ignoring basic problems far, far too long. Homosexuality isn't one of them. You know, you remind me of my neighbour: always complaining about cats in his garden. But when the cats are gone, he will start to complain about something else. The trees. You see, the real problem is not any of these things - the real problem is that he complains because he is dissatisfied with himself.

@Robert , yes mate there is a western version of liberty, which fails to recognise social responsibility. You have perhaps been framed with that mindset that believes in sexual deviancy as nothing wrong . Sorry, but I have responsibility towards my generations not to see the deviancy as normal.who is more primitive - those who roam around naked , aren't they.. Those who flount their sexuality and baser instincts like our shared common primate cousins.. You Mr.Robert are primitive, who caves into the demands of the dominant western filth called as civilization - one that eats away 70 percent of worlds resources and blames the victims..

@Ahmad "Is it necessary for Turkey to follow western models of Liberty." There is no such thing as a 'western model of liberty'. Please study your own history well, for starters: the idea that islam and homosexuality are mutually exclusive is a *modern* idea, coming from the more primitive regions in the world. What is at stake here is the idea of civilisation itself: which is that one treats people who think differently with respect. I think we can agree that suppression and censorship are hardly forms of 'respect' - you can dislike people who have a different sexuality, you are free to dislike anyone that drinks alcohol, but that is different from censoring them. The idea that such censorship is a 'Turkish tradition' is strange, because the Ottoman empire was known for its tolerance and diversity.

Is it necessary for Turkey to follow western models of Liberty. We have our own culture and values. Humanism does not mean that we allow licencious behaviour. Humanism if it becomes another name for cultural imperialism, should not be acceptable anywhere.

@Demir "Great to see the christian taliban cheering on from the "oh so decadent West", one wonders what you are doing there?" He's just a flukehead that doesn't know anything about Turkey or the principles Turkey was founded on. The USA is a fundamentalist country with a right-wing and an extreme-rightwing party, a completely government controlled media, a very bad eduction-only-for-the rich system and a totally corrupt government full of zealots. I agree strongly with Paul that Turkey, which is a beautiful country with a good spirit, shouldn't go the way the US has gone but the problem is that is actually what it is presently doing. There is hardly a place imaginable where secularism is worse than in the US. Please don't think this person represents an opinion typical for 'the west', whatever that may be.

Another ridiculous move that is completely unjustifiable! This is not in line with the humanism on which the Turkish republic was established by Ataturk. @Paul Great to see the christian taliban cheering on from the "oh so decadent West", one wonders what you are doing there?

Happy is the man who calls himself a heterosexual?

Deeply troubling news for Turkey. This government just gets better and better(sarcasm). It's sad news that Turkey censors anything they wish like youtube and these gay websites... what harm is there in any of them? What's next? women cannot leave their homes without the company of men?

@Paul - you should trade your place where ever you are with someone that wants to leave this place and live a better life. I urge you to do the right thing.. It is sad when the government bans things like gay websites, youtube, harrasses the media, and tries it's best to surpress the simplest rights. It is not easy to understand how a website for learning about news, which is not usually printed in the normal press, and meeting people with similar interests, can be a problem for the government. This type of behavior by the government will not stop the gay people.. or their supporters. Here, it seems human rights are a big issue and violated on a regular basis, from women's rights to live in peace and out of fear from their male relatives to the gays having the right to a website. What is next?

Another absurd move by this terrible authoritarian government. And yes, Paul, how disgusting

@paul your homophobia is sickening.

This is definitely bizarre! What the actual Turkish government is trying to do nowadays is just attempting to create one type of person that goes to mosque and covers all the body. This will obviously not work! While denying even 1 person in the society is a big crime, how can they think to deny 225.000 people just because they are not how they want them to be?

This event is another sad reminder of that Turkey needs to establish more clear rules for freedom of speech and thought than the country has today. Now, Turkish authorities interpret the law and rules anyway they please and use it in order to silence journalists, authors and organisations that they do not like. Turkish law is today sadly in practice what Turkish lawyers and authorities think and nothing else.

I know both sites http://www.hadigayri.com and gabile.com. They were completely non-pornograpic and included only news, forum and community content. This censor is so difficult to understand. :(

It's not a lifestyle I particularly agree with, but I do support freedom of expression to those who are gay. Do the Turkish authorities realise that Germany's probable next Foreign Minister is openly gay? How will he react to Turkish membership of the EU now? One again Turkey shoots itself in the foot! EU membership looks further and further away.

You have to admire a goverment that stands by its own principles and whom do not ponder to slack western values and ways, just to please the western liberal extremists who are usually the out of touch western goverments. I do have some sympathy for the gays, whom it seems have lost their beloved web forum, but we do not know the greater and finer details of what have led to the events reported. Turkey probably realises that, if homosexuals are left to their own devices unchecked, then its a matter of time (all be it alot of time, as Turkey is still quite traditional) before same sex couples start demanding the right to adopt children just like here in the west, and this is a whole new ball game and utterley improper. You may scoff, but the the idea starts somwhere, and it is when homosexuals believe despite their lifestyle choice, that they have the right to do anything at all they wish, but you cant have it both ways. I urge you Turkey, do not look to the west for inspiration, as it will ruin all your morals, values and ethics. Stick by your own guns We in the cess pit do not know who we are anymore.

Modern, inclusive, democratric? That'll be Turkey then.

My full support goes to the homosexuals in Turkey who seems to fight a very though but important fight against discremination. I support Turkey as a part of EU when the criterias is fullfilled but this is definitely fullfilling the criterias. These methods belongs to Iran, Saudi or China - but perhaps some politicians prefer that?