LGBTI Dating Website Blocked 5th Time

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SheMaleTurk.com, an LGBTI dating website with 400,000 members has been blocked for the fifth time.

No reason has been declared for the block of access which has been in effect since Friday (March 17).

Talking to bianet, the website's Content Advisor and Press Relations Coordinator Erman Paçalı said that SheMaleTurk.com had been blocked several times earlier and that the explanation they got from the authorities whom they contacted was "Sorry, there has been a mistake".

Stating that they had been trying to reach the Information and Communication Technologies Authority since March 18 to get the website unblocked, Parçalı noted that they had only discovered a notification about an administrative order.

Parçalı said that the several access blocks have reached a harassing extend and added "this situation is discrediting us. In addition, it constitutes a psychological pressure. The website is blocked since Friday and we can't reach anyone in charge to find out the reason. But when the media reports about the access blocks, they unblock the website and say 'sorry, there has been a mistake'".

gabile.com, a dating website for gays, lesbians and bisexualls as well as lezce.com, also a dating website for lesbians have been blocked twice and the LGBTI dating website shemaleturk.com has been blocked five times. (ÇT/ DG)