Social media platform X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, is facing renewed accusations of complicity in authoritarian censorship after it suspended multiple accounts belonging to Turkish opposition figures and activists. The account suspensions followed the March 20 arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a leading rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, sparking mass protests across the country.

Several of the blocked accounts were key organizers and amplifiers of protest information, particularly among Turkish university students and local civil society networks. According to reports, some accounts were fully suspended, while others were geoblocked—visible outside of Turkey, but inaccessible within it. Critics argue that these actions amount to digital suppression, aiding an authoritarian crackdown on dissent.

X has not provided a public explanation for the suspensions, but the company has previously defended similar actions by citing compliance with local laws to prevent full shutdowns of the platform in countries like Turkey. In May 2023, X restricted access to select content within Turkey during the national election period, prompting similar backlash.

İmamoğlu’s arrest has been widely denounced as politically motivated. His detention on charges of corruption and alleged ties to terrorism came just months ahead of local elections, where he was expected to pose a significant challenge to Erdoğan’s grip on power. Protests erupted in Istanbul and other major cities in response, with demonstrators calling the arrest an assault on democracy.

The Crustian Daily will continue monitoring efforts by governments and tech platforms to silence dissent and suppress protest movements across the globe.