Wikipedia ban: Top court calls for Turkey to lift block

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Turkey's Constitutional Court has ruled that the country's block on accessing Wikipedia is unconstitutional.

The court said the ban violated rights concerning freedom of expression, and ordered it be lifted.

The Turkish government barred the website in 2017 because of entries suggesting Turkey had co-operated with jihadist militants in Syria.

Turkish censors have often temporarily blocked websites carrying content critical of the government.


The Wikimedia Foundation took Turkey to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in May over the ban, arguing that the blocking of the online encyclopaedia violated the right to freedom of expression.

Thursday's ruling is a significant victory for the foundation.

Wikipedia's founder, Jimmy Wales, celebrated the ruling in a tweet, writing 'welcome back Turkey'.