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Turkey blocks Twitter, Facebook, YouTube over photo of slain prosecutor

Xinhua, April 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

Turkey Monday blocked access to Twitter, YouTube and Facebook over the publication of a photo of a Turkish prosecutor who was killed by leftist militants last week, daily Hurriyet reported.

Several internet service providers in Turkey implemented the ban, according to the report.

Spokesperson for the Turkish Presidency Ibrahim Kalin was quoted as saying that a ban has not been enforced yet, but confirmed that an order was issued by prosecutors.

Daily Hurriyet reported that a court ruling ordered authorities to block a total of 166 websites that published the controversial photo of the prosecutor, Mehmet Selim Kiraz who was taken hostage by outlawed leftist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) on Tuesday.

All service providers are expected to implement the ban soon, Bulent Kent, Secretary General of the Internet Service Providers Union (ESB), was quoted as saying.

A photo showing a militant holding a gun to the prosecutor's head went viral on social media websites last week.

Two militants and the prosecutor were killed in a fire exchange after police forces stormed the court building in an effort to release the hostage.

Last week, Istanbul prosecutors launched an investigation into the publication of the photo by four Turkish dailies on charges of terror propaganda. Endit