Re: [Wikimedia-l] Fwd: [PRESS] Turkish authorities block Wikipedia

29 Apr 2017

Thank you, everyone, for your messages regarding the situation in Turkey.
As you can imagine, this has been a very busy time for the Wikimedia
Foundation's Legal, Communications, Technical Operations, and Community
Engagement departments, and we apologize for not being able to respond to
Wikimedia-l sooner.

We are planning to publish a statement on the Wikimedia blog soon. In the
meantime, we have been handling media and other inquiries with the
following short statement, which we shared with the Communications
Committee (ComCom) earlier this morning:

"The Wikimedia Foundation has learned that access to Wikipedia has been
blocked in Turkey as of Saturday, April 29th. Wikipedia is a rich and
valuable source of neutral, reliable information in hundreds of languages,
written by volunteers around the world. We are committed to ensuring that
Wikipedia remains available to the millions of people who rely on it in
Turkey. To that end, we are actively working with outside counsel to seek
judicial review of the decision affecting access to Wikipedia. We hope the
issue can be resolved promptly."

We will continue to do our best to monitor this discussion, but I ask for
your patience as we are managing inquiries coming in from multiple places.

If you are receiving media inquiries about this, please contact
press(a)wikimedia.org and we will be able to assist you. At this point, we
believe that the most valuable point Wikimedians can make on behalf of
Wikipedia is explaining its value as an educational resource.

Thank you!

Juliet

On Sat, Apr 29, 2017 at 12:47 PM, Peter Southwood <
peter.southwood(a)telkomsa.net&gt; wrote:

...
  False dichotomy
 Cheers,
 P

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Wikimedia-l [mailto:wikimedia-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On
 Behalf Of Rogol Domedonfors
 Sent: Saturday, 29 April 2017 9:46 PM
 To: Wikimedia Mailing List
 Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-l] Fwd: [PRESS] Turkish authorities block Wikipedia

 Richard

 Then you want to say "We the undersigned do not [etc]".  Of course the
 implication is that everyone else does ...

 "Rogol"

 On Sat, Apr 29, 2017 at 8:42 PM, Richard Farmbrough <
 richard(a)farmbrough.co.uk&gt; wrote:

  Primarily this is those who sign the statement 
on meta.

 On 29 Apr 2017 20:41, "Rogol Domedonfors" &lt;domedonfors(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote:

 > James
 >
 > If you cannot say who "We" are who do not support terrorism, then
 > your statement is both meaningless and ineffectual.  If you are
 > specific, then "we" need to know why you feel able to speak for
"us".
 >
 > "Rogol"
 >
 > On Sat, Apr 29, 2017 at 8:33 PM, James Heilman &lt;jmh649(a)gmail.com&gt; 
wrote:

 > @ Richard Thank you. I have adjusted that sentence to "We do not 
support

terrorism."

 J

 On Sat, Apr 29, 2017 at 1:19 PM, Richard Farmbrough <
 richard(a)farmbrough.co.uk&gt; wrote:

 > "As a movement" is a phrase which I have trouble with.  WhiIe
 > left it  is
  > very easy to make apple pie statements with
little fear of
 contradiction, I
 > think it misees the point.  We provide information, neutral  information.
 > > Perhaps we hope as individuals this discourages rather than  encourages
  > > certain forms of behaviour. But if we
provided the information
 > > with  the
   > goal
of, for example, opposing terrorism we would cease to be a  neutral,
  > reliable sourgent,  thus defeating any such
goal.
 >
 > Conversely it is far more convincing to say that we don't
 > support terrorism, that the statements are on their face absurd,
 > that we  clearly
 > > document the rise and fall of Isis, together with their actions
 > > both  in
  > the
 > > Middle East and the wider world, and tother encourage anyone who  doubts
   > this
to read our articles on the subject.
 >
 > On 29 Apr 2017 19:52, "James Heilman" &lt;jmh649(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote:
 >
 > > Richard I am not sure I am clear on what you mean. We are not  impartial
 > > to
 > > > everything. We oppose censorship and we oppose suppression of 
freedom
  > of
 > > > information. I think it is also perfectly fine to state that
 > > > we as  a
  > > > movement oppose terrorism.
 > > >
 > > > Made a few more adjustments to this statement on meta
 > > >
 > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Response_to_2017_ban_in_Turkey
 > > >
 > > > James
 > > >
 > > > On Sat, Apr 29, 2017 at 12:46 PM, Richard Farmbrough <
 > > > richard(a)farmbrough.co.uk&gt; wrote:
 > > >
 > > > > It is absolutely important to be clear that Wikipedia is 
impartial,
 > > or
 > > > at
 > > > > > least  substantially so.  This impartiality may be a threat
 > > > > > to
 > some,
 > > > but
 > > > > it
 > > > > > could be counter-productive to make statements which are not
 > > carefully
 > > > > > thought through.  Those who support repressive regimes can
 > > > > > easily
 > be
 > > > > pushed
 > > > > > into an absolutist mindset.
 > > > > >
 > > > > >
 > > > > > On 29 Apr 2017 18:42, "Ivan Martínez"
&lt;galaver(a)gmail.com&gt;  wrote:
   > >
> >
 > > > > > +1 to Ting's idea about a statement
 > > > > >
 > > > > > Also we can support from our corner sending tweets and
 > > > > > e-mails  to
  > our
 > > > > local
 > > > > > embassies. Our friends from Turkey or someone who speaks 
turkish
   can
 > > > > support us with a hasthag? I posted #WikipediaSansürlendi
 > > > > but  maybe
 > > is
 > > > > > incorrect.
 > > > > >
 > > > > > Best,
 > > > > >
 > > > > > 2017-04-29 12:16 GMT-05:00 Ting Chen
&lt;wing.philopp(a)gmx.de&gt;de>:
 > > > > >
 > > > > > > I think the Foundation and the chapters *must* make a
 statement
  > > that
 > > > > > > decisively contradicts the reason of the block: That 
Wikipedia
  > > > supports
 > > > > > > terrorism. There could be further texts in the statement
 which
   > >
stresses
 > > > > our
 > > > > > principle of neutrality and our goal to spread
 > > > > > knowledge, but  the
 > > > first
 > > > > > and
 > > > > > > most important statement is to contradict the accusation.
 > > > > > >
 > > > > > > Ah some times I miss Jay, he would immediately recognize
 > > > > > > how
 > > > important
 > > > > it
 > > > > > > is to make such a statement. When national newspapers
 > > > > > > and
 > > broadcasts
 > > > > are
 > > > > > > referring (I just heard the one in Deutschland Funk
 > > > > > > http://www.deutschlandfunk.de/dlf24-startseite.1441.de.h
 > > > > > > tml  )
   this
 > > > > event,
 > > > > > there should be not only the accusation but always also
 > > > > > a
 reaction.
 > > > > >
 > > > > > Greetings
 > > > > >
 > > > > > Ting
 > > > > >
 > > > > >
 > > > > >
 > > > > > Am 29.04.2017 um 10:43 schrieb Itzik - Wikimedia Israel:
 > > > > >
 > > > > >> Hey,
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >> FYI -  sad news from Turkish.
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >> *Regards,Itzik Edri*
 > > > > >> Chairperson, Wikimedia Israel
 > > > > >> +972-54-5878078 | http://www.wikimedia.org.il
 > > > > >> Imagine a world in which every single human being can
 > > > > >> freely
 share
 > > in
 > > > > the
 > > > > >> sum of all knowledge. That's our commitment!
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
 > > > > >> From: Itzik - Wikimedia Israel
&lt;itzik(a)wikimedia.org.il&gt;
 > > > > >> Date: Sat, Apr 29, 2017 at 11:42 AM
 > > > > >> Subject: [PRESS] Turkish authorities block Wikipedia
 > > > > >> To: Communications Committee
 > > > > >> &lt;wmfcc-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org&gt;
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >> http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39754909
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >> Reuters just published that a 15 minutes ago, so it
 > > > > >> will be  soon
  > all
 > > > > over
 > > > > >> the news.
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >> ---
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >> *Turkey has blocked all access inside the country to
 > > > > >> the  online
 > > > > > >> encyclopaedia Wikipedia, one of the world's most
 > > > > > >> popular
 > > websites.*
 > > > > > >>
 > > > > > >> It was not initially clear why the ban had been
imposed.
 > > > > > >> The Turkey Blocks group said the site was inaccessible
 > > > > > >> from
 > 08:00
 > > > > (05:00
 > > > > > >> GMT) by order of the Turkish authorities.
 > > > > > >> People in the capital Istanbul were unable to access
 > > > > > >> any
 > Wikipedia
 > > > > pages
 > > > > > >> without using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
 > > > > > >> "After technical analysis and legal consideration
based
 > > > > > >> on  the
   Law
 > > Nr.
 > > > > >> 5651, an administrative measure has been taken for this
 website,"
 > > > > Turkey's
 > > > > >> Information and Communication Technologies Authority
 > > > > >> was  quoted
 > as
 > > > > > saying.
 > > > > > >> No reason was given.
 > > > > > >> Turkey Blocks and Turkish media, including the Hurriyet
 Daily
  > > News,
 > > > > said
 > > > > > >> the provisional order would need to be backed by a full
 court
   >
ruling
 > > > in
 > > > > >> the
 > > > > >> next few days.
 > > > > >>
 > > > > >> Social media was in uproar as news of the ban emerged,
 > > > > >> with  some
 > > > users
 > > > > > >> speculating that it might be a bid to suppress
 > > > > > >> criticism on
 > > > President
 > > > > > >> Recep
 > > > > > >> Tayyip Erdogan's Wikipedia page.
 > > > > > >> Mr Erdogan narrowly won a controversial 16 April
 > > > > > >> referendum  on
   > >
> > increasing
 > > > > >> his powers, but the issue has deeply divided the country.
 > > > > >> Turkey has temporarily blocked popular social media
 > > > > >> sites
 > including
 > > > > >> Facebook and Twitter in the past, especially in the
 > > > > >> wake of  mass
 > > > > > protests
 > > > > > >> or terror attacks.
 > > > > > >> The government has previously denied censoring the
 > > > > > >> internet,
 > > blaming
 > > > > > >> outages on spikes in usage after major events.
 > > > > > >>
 > > > > > >>
 > > > > > >>
 > > > > > >> *Regards,Itzik Edri*
 > > > > > >> Chairperson, Wikimedia Israel
 > > > > > >> +972-54-5878078 <+972%2054-587-8078> |
 > > http://www.wikimedia.org.il
 > > > > > >> Imagine a world in which every single human being can
 > > > > > >> freely
 > share
 > > > in
 > > > > > the
 > > > > > >> sum of all knowledge. That's our commitment!
 > > > > > >> _______________________________________________
 > > > > > >> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at:
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 > > > > > >
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 > > > > >
 > > > > >
 > > > > > --
 > > > > > *Iván Martínez*
 > > > > >
 > > > > > *Presidente - Wikimedia México A.C.User:ProtoplasmaKid *
 > > > > >
 > > > > > // Mis comunicaciones respecto a Wikipedia/Wikimedia
 > > > > > pueden  tener
   una
 > > > > moratoria en su atención debido a que es un voluntariado.
 > > > > // Ayuda a proteger a Wikipedia, dona ahora:
 > > > https://donate.wikimedia.org
 > > > > _______________________________________________
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 > > >
 > > >
 > > > --
 > > > James Heilman
 > > > MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian
 > > >
 > > > The Wikipedia Open Textbook of Medicine
 > > > _______________________________________________
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 --
 James Heilman
 MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian

 The Wikipedia Open Textbook of Medicine
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-- 
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149 New Montgomery Street I San Francisco, CA 94105
jbarbara(a)wikimedia.org I +1 (415) 373-7330

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Re: [Wikimedia-l] Fwd: [PRESS] Turkish authorities block Wikipedia