ECtHR rules against Turkey’s YouTube ban between 2008-2010

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on Tuesday ruled that Turkey had violated conventions on freedom of expression when it blocked access to YouTube between May 2008 and Oct. 30, 2010.

A Turkish court had barred access to the video-sharing site over 10 videos deemed insulting to modern Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Strasbourg-based rights tribunal said.

In May of 2008, the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance ordered a ban on YouTube for containing videos that were insulting to Atatürk within the context of Article 301.

Article 301 is an article of the Turkish Penal Code making it illegal to insult Turkey, which also covers the "insulting the legacy of Atatürk."