Internet restrictions have taken yet another step in Turkey, blocking access to Virtual Private Network (VPN) services and encrypted e-mail service ProtonMail.
[mks_dropcap style="letter" size="52" bg_color="#ffffff" txt_color="#000000"]N[/mks_dropcap]otorious law numbered: 5651 had been updated in 2014 February 6th, with a "clause ç" which enforced the responsibility of blocking access to alternative accessing methods to blocked content online on the Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Information and Communications Technologies Institute BTK would fine ISPs that fail to comply with this clause up to ₺50.000. Among the listed services to be blocked were TOR, VPN Master, Hotspot Shield, Psiphon, Zenmate, TunnelBear, Zero VPN, VyprVPN, Private Internet Access VPN, Espress VPN, IPVanish VPN. Due to interpretation of this legislation, 20 VPN providers have been blocked and ProtonMail that offers free encrypted e-mail service to users globally are blocked in Turkey. Due to the “clause ç” of law numbered 5651, pvanish.com, privateinternetaccess.com, purevpn.com, goldenfrog.com, tunnelbear.com, vpnunlimitedapp.com, hotspotshield.com, hidemyass.com, vpnunlimitedapp.com, expressvpn.com, betternet.co, expressvpn.host, f-secure.com, safervpn.com, zenmate.com.tr, zenmate.com, zenmate.com.ru, zenmate.de, nordvpn.com as well as cyberghost.com VPN services had been blocked; as of yesterday ProtonMail has also been blocked in Turkey. Moreover, ProtonMail’s VPN service ProtonVPN is also not accessible from Turkey.