Turkey To Put 29 Twitter Users On Trial

China isn’t the only government putting social media users it finds undesirable in jail. Turkey, as you likely already know, has been on a warpath against social media. You have probably already heard about its since overturned Twitter ban and its ongoing ban of YouTube.

Now, 29 Twitter users are facing trial over their alleged role in the Gezi Protests in June. According to Amnesty International, they could face up to three years in prison if convicted. The trial is set for April 21.

The 29 men and women aged 19 – 36 are accused of inciting the public to commit crimes, and the Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, who has said some fairly bombastic statements about Twitter in the past, is actually listed as a victim in the case.

Turkey first banned Twitter back in late March. A court ruled that the ban was unconstitutional, but Erdogan, who said he didn’t respect the decision, dragged his feet when it came to uplifting that ban. The court had given the Turkish government 30 days to comply with the order, and Twitter wasn’t reinstated until after what Amnesty International calls “tightly contested” local elections.

Support for the “Twitter Twenty-Nine” has been pouring out on Twitter under #IzmirTwitterCase:

https://twitter.com/RedEZLN/status/456859454433001472

.@RT_Erdogan Calling ppl out to peacefully demonstrate vs police violence isn't incitement to break to law #IzmirTwitterCase #dropthecharges

— ali kitley-jones (@alikj) April 17, 2014