Banned Erciş Haber news website re-launched under new domain

Banned on 5 April 2019, Erciş Haber news website, which reports news in Turkey and especially Van, can be accessed on www.haberercis1.com. www.haberercis.com was banned by Erciş Criminal Judgeship of Peace and re-launched as www.haberercis1.com. Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) lodged an application with the Constitutional Court on 1 July 2019 stating that the ban is a rights violation. MLSA’s application is still under consideration. Sercan Akbaş, Erciş Haber Editor in Chief, was taken into custody on the charges of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility” on 6 April 2019 for sharing Mezopotamya Agency’s news titled “3 men battered and taken into custody in Erciş” Mezopotamya’s report The Mezopotamya Agency shared the report first on 5 April 2019. The report was as follows: “Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Recep Önal, Mekan Beder and Hakan Bozdağ were taken into custody while waiting for vote count in front of Erciş Courthouse. Three people, who were waiting for the second vote count upon Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) request, were taken into custody. Önal, Beder and Bozdağ were dragged along the ground, battered based on eyewitnesses testimony.” Update: On 24 Jan 2020, Van 7th High Criminal Court ruled the ban on  www.haberercis.com to be lifted.