03/08/2026 | Writer: Kaos GL
After failing to obtain a remedy from Turkey's Constitutional Court over the Information and Communication Technologies Authority's decision to include KaosGL.org on the list of websites whose access is restricted under the "Family Profile," the Kaos GL Association has taken the case to the ECtHR.
The Kaos GL Association has taken its case against the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) after KaosGL.org was placed on the list of websites whose access is restricted under the “family profile” internet filter.
The association had previously filed an individual application with the Constitutional Court, requesting a stay of execution of the measure. However, the application was declared inadmissible on the grounds that domestic remedies had not been exhausted. In its application to the ECtHR, Kaos GL argues that the measure violates the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association, the right to an effective remedy, and the prohibition of discrimination.
Access made more difficult for millions of users
The application states that KaosGL.org had been directly accessible for many years, but that ICTA’s practice has effectively made access to the website more difficult for millions of users.
The association notes that subscribers using the “family profile”, or those automatically placed under this profile by ICTA without their knowledge, must first become aware of the restriction and then change their user settings in order to access the website. It argues that this constitutes an interference with the fundamental rights of both users and the association.
No legal basis
The application argues that the conditions required for the restriction to be considered lawful have not been met.
According to the association, the legislation relied upon by ICTA does not satisfy the requirement of legality necessary for restrictions on fundamental rights, as there is no legal provision explicitly authorizing the restriction of access to websites through the “family profile.” It also emphasizes that neither ICTA’s submissions before domestic courts nor the courts’ decisions identified a clear statutory basis for the interference.
Interference with freedom of association
The application stresses that KaosGL.org is not merely a news website but also one of the key digital platforms used by the Kaos GL Association and LGBTI+ organizations in Turkey for organizing and advocacy.
The association states that it uses the website to announce events and reach new members and supporters. It argues that the restriction makes it more difficult to reach potential members and supporters, amounting to an interference with freedom of association.
Constitutional Court violated the right of access to a court
Kaos GL argues that the Constitutional Court violated its right of access to a court by declaring the individual application inadmissible on the grounds that the first-instance court had not yet ruled on the merits of the case.
The application states that the Constitutional Court departed from its own established case law in rejecting the application, thereby undermining the principle of legal certainty.
LGBTI+ existence pushed into a digital ghetto
The application emphasizes that blocking KaosGL.org under the “family profile” is not merely a technical administrative measure.
According to the association, the practice effectively labels LGBTI+ existence, organizing, and news as “harmful to the family,” “something that should be hidden from children,” or “immoral.” It argues that placing the website on the blacklist forces LGBTI+ existence into “a digital ghetto.”
Double standards
The application also argues that the Constitutional Court failed to apply its own case law developed in similar applications to Kaos GL, amounting to discrimination in access to justice.
The association maintains that the Court’s decision to declare the application inadmissible despite precedent in the applicant’s favor was not coincidental and demonstrates that judicial authorities apply a “double standard” to applicants working in the field of LGBTI+ rights.
What happened?
Under the Safe Internet Service implemented by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) since 2011, KaosGL.org, Turkey’s LGBTI+ news portal, became inaccessible through internet service providers’ “family” and “child” profiles as of 18 September 2024.
In June 2025, KaosGL.org was subsequently blocked entirely from access in Turkey by a decision of the Istanbul 12th Criminal Judgeship of Peace, dated 26 June. During the same period, Kaos GL’s two X accounts and its Instagram account were also blocked in Turkey.
Tags: human rights, women, media, arts and culture, life, family, lgbti
