Turkey's top court revokes police authority to access internet users' personal data
Turkey's Constitutional Court has unanimously revoked the authority granted to police officers in accessing personal data, which was introduced with a state of emergency decree during the country's emergency rule, after finding it unconstitutional. The ruling came after the CHP's application.
Duvar English
Turkey's Constitutional Court has revoked the authority granted to police officers in accessing internet users' personal data, which was introduced with a state of emergency decree during the country's emergency rule.
According to the court's justified decision published in the Official Gazette on April 30, police will no longer have the authority to access personal data of internet users in crimes committed online.
The ruling, which was issued on Feb. 19, came after the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) applied to the court for the cancellation of some regulations in the decree.
Three regulations were canceled after being unanimously found unconstitutional by the court, including the one allowing police to access and investigate ID data belonging to internet users.
The court ruled that the regulation is in violation of the constitution's 13th and 20th articles.
Turkey declared a state of emergency following the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt that lasted for two years. Dozens of state of emergency decrees were issued at the time, with critics pointing to the grave human rights violations resulting from them.
The Constitutional Court also cancelled a regulation on rejecting the license applications of media service provider institutions of which the partners or management boards are claimed to have connections with "terrorist organizations" by the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) or police.