ISTANBUL – The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office blocked Twitter access just before midnight on Thursday. According to the Press Advisory of the Prime Ministry, Twitter officials are currently ignoring the court's ruling on the removal of certain links. The Communication Technologies Institution (BTK) lists four court rulings on its website as the reasons for the latest block.

The Press Advisory of the Prime Ministry stated that Twitter's administration had remained indifferent to verdicts that were issued after litigation started by Turkish citizens which had resulted in orders to remove certain web links from the social media site.

"In line with these court orders, the Presidency of Telecommunication has initiated the necessary proceedings [to have the links removed], however, Twitter officials have remained indifferent to these demands," the statement said.

"Access to Twitter may be blocked as a last resort to avert the unjust treatment of our citizens in the case of a continuation of this indifference to court rulings," it said.

The statement came after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a local election rally on Thursday that the government would "eradicate" Twitter based on a court order.

"Mr. Prime Minister referred to this legal process (Twitter's indifference to remove certain links despite the court rulings)," the statement said.