The selection visited early July 25 by Turkey’s Telecommunications Directorate (T?B), a government-managed Internet watchdog, targeted news websites based not only in Turkey, but in addition in northern Iraq.

The blocked sites contain Rudaw, BasNews, D?HA, ANHA, daily Ozgur Gundem, Yuksekova Haber, Sendika.Org and RojNews. When attempting get one of the sites, a user from Turkey can just see a message the T?B blocked it due to “administrative measures.”

The censorship was decried by the websites. “The censorship against the free press is an assault against the people’s right to news by a fascist government that’s stooped to starting a war and bursting bombs, all with the aim of remaining in power. It’s not just a question of obstructing access to several oppositional news sites; it’s an effort to obstruct access to democracy,” Sendika.Org said in a statement July 25.

“We’re not the dregs which work based on the dollar. “We WOn’t abandon our guarantees, and we WOn’t sell our pencils. Do not even dare trying to frighten us.”

Many net users have been running to download the government’s net limitations to be circumvented by VPNs.

The reason behind the decreased service for the two programs in Turkey remained unsure on July 25.

An attorney specializing in IT law, Mehmet Ali Koksal, told Hurriyet that Turkish authorities might be commanding Facebook and Twitter traffic to spy on PKK communications, resulting in the slowing down in both services.

Requests can be enforced by the T?B by the ministry to impose blanket prohibitions within only four hours. The judge of a criminal court of peace should then approves the choice within 24 hours. The judge would have to issue a ruling in two days. The prohibition will be revoked if no verdict is issued.

Now, more than 81,000 sites are obstructed in Turkey, according to tracking site Engelli Web.