In a swift response to tragedies this past week, Turkish police have ordered the arrest of 83 individuals suspected of posting controversial content online regarding two deadly school shootings. The arrests stem from their alleged engagement in sharing posts that praise violent crimes, which authorities claim undermines public order.
access to approximately 940 social media accounts was also restricted, and 93 Telegram groups linked to these activities have been shut down.
The violence began with a tragic incident that claimed at least nine lives at Ayser Calik Secondary School in Kahramanmaras, where the shooter, a 14-year-old, was killed during the attack. Thirteen others were wounded, six critically.
Just a day earlier, another school shooting, which took place at Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical High School, resulted in 16 injuries. The assailant in that incident also took his own life after firing indiscriminately.
The governor reported that the recent shooter had planned the attack, with digital records indicating intentions to execute a major operation in advance.
Concerningly, the attacker had references to notorious mass killers in his digital presence, raising alarms about potential influences and motivations behind such violence.
The country is grappling with the implications of these attacks, as officials look towards stricter regulation on online content that glorifies violence or seeks to inspire criminal behavior.
