Popular social media platform Twitter has deleted a tweet from a famous Turkish pop singer for including hate speech in which the singer blatantly targeted Arabs, Turkish media outlets reported.
Leman Sam, 71, attracted widespread criticism when she referred to Arabs as “ignoble” in a tweet on Wednesday.
“Years ago I was the subject of a long-running defamation campaign for being against these ignoble Arabs. Everyone has seen now what they really are. These are still the good days, but the time will come when they get a part of our bread and our land. Knife attacks, rapes, and this will end up in a plunder. Don’t complain about it, it’s been happening before everyone’s eyes,” tweeted Sam.
Twitter deleted Sam’s tweet for violating the company’s hate speech policies.
The social network expanded its hate speech policies in 2020 to catch more posts. The broader definition includes tweets that incite fear or stereotypes about people due to a protected category, like race.
Sam’s tweet came at a time of increasing hostility against foreigners in Turkey, particularly refugees from countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The refugees have been increasingly targeted by hate speech and hate crimes and are blamed for many of Turkey’s social and economic troubles.