Access to news reports about the demolition of unauthorized structures along the Bosporus has been blocked by court order, citing national security concerns, sparking questions about the motivation behind the restriction, the Kısa Dalga news website reported on Tuesday.
The decision, issued by İstanbul’s 4th Criminal Court of Peace on July 11 under file number 2025/7663, ordered the removal of multiple online reports detailing demolition orders and ongoing enforcement against illegal additions to prominent waterfront properties.
The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s Bosporus Zoning Directorate had initiated the demolitions based on critical findings issued by the İstanbul No. 3 Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, operating under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The affected properties include businesses and hotels where unauthorized expansions had reportedly violated zoning laws.
In its ruling the court cited “protection of national security and public order” as justification for the access ban, without providing further details.
The move attracted criticism from journalists who questioned the rationale for classifying zoning enforcement as a national security matter. Journalist Bahadır Özgür, posting on social media, wrote: “What does national security have to do with the illegal sections of Baylan Patisserie or the Mandarin Hotel? It’s clear they plan to reverse the demolition orders somehow.”
After the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality came under the control of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in 2019, with now-jailed Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu winning a rerun election following the controversial annulment of his initial victory, tensions escalated with businesses that had expanded their premises illegally under the leniency of their ties to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The new administration faced resistance as some of these businesses openly defied municipal orders to remove unauthorized additions built during the AKP era.
The court order follows a growing pattern of content takedown requests in Turkey, often invoking broad national security grounds to limit access to politically or commercially sensitive material.