Access was denied to news stories featured in many newspapers about workers at a pasta factory operating in Gaziantep-Turkey contracting the coronavirus.
Access denial was requested by corporate lawyer Mehmet Servet Haydargil representing Oba Makarna Sanayi Tic. A.Ş. (Oba Pasta Manufacturing Co.). In the decision taken on the access denial by Gaziantep 1st Criminal Court of Peace, it was stated that the news coverage about workers at the factory contracting the coronavirus was “damaging and detrimental to the company’s corporate identity due to events taking place beyond their control”.
The court decision said the following: “Whereas the news coverage, commentary, and news content related to the company in question contain the Applicant company’s trade name, logo, and the operation location; the coverage is damaging and detrimental to the company’s corporate identity due to events taking place beyond their control; and the posts shared on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts clearly violate the personality rights of the company; it is decided that ACCESS be DENIED to the following addresses.”
Among the webpages on which access was denied to the relevant news coverage are the Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram posts of Evrensel, Sözcü, Demirören News Agency, diken.com.tr, Habertürk, Milli Gazete, Gaziantep Haber, Sol Haber Portalı, İleri Haber, Gazete Karınca, dokuz8haber, Antep Son Nokta, Gaziantep Detay Gazetesi, Ege’de Son Söz, Çukurova Manşet, Gaziantep Pusula and the Nizip Journalists Association.
