Turkish writer wins net ban on Dawkins / The First Post-England

The First Post / England

A Turkish court has banned internet users from viewing the official website of the leading biologist and science writer Richard Dawkins after a Muslim creationist writer claimed its contents were defamatory and blasphemous.

Adnan Oktar complained that Dawkins, who is a fierce critic of
creationism and intelligent design, had insulted him in comments made on forums and blogs.

"We are not against freedom of speech or expression but you cannot insult people," said a spokesman for Oktar. "We found the comments hurtful. It was not a scientific discussion. There was a line and the limit has been passed. We have used all the legal means to stop this site."

Oktar, who writes under the pen-name Harun Yahya, is a champion of Islamic creationism. He has written numerous books and pamphlets challenging Darwin's theory of evolution.

In 2006 his publishers sent out 10,000 copies of Oktar's latest book The Atlas of Creation and - big mistake - included Dawkins on their list. He read the book and described it as "preposterous".

This is not the first time Oktar has tried to silence Dawkins: Oktar attempted to get Dawkins's book The God Delusion banned in Turkey but a court rejected his claim that it insulted religion.

Dawkins is not in the best position to complain aboutany curtailment of his freedom of speech. Earlier this week he and other fellow of the Royal Society succeeded in ousting Professor Michael Reiss as director of education at the Royal Society, after Reiss had suggested that schoolteachers should be allowed to discuss creationism in science lessons.

People: Dawkins and Winston clash in Reiss row | News | The First Post

People: Turkish writer wins net ban on Dawkins | News | The First Post

The First Post / England

A Turkish court has banned internet users from viewing the official website of the leading biologist and science writer Richard Dawkins after a Muslim creationist writer claimed its contents were defamatory and blasphemous.

Adnan Oktar complained that Dawkins, who is a fierce critic of
creationism and intelligent design, had insulted him in comments made on forums and blogs.

"We are not against freedom of speech or expression but you cannot insult people," said a spokesman for Oktar. "We found the comments hurtful. It was not a scientific discussion. There was a line and the limit has been passed. We have used all the legal means to stop this site."

Oktar, who writes under the pen-name Harun Yahya, is a champion of Islamic creationism. He has written numerous books and pamphlets challenging Darwin's theory of evolution.

In 2006 his publishers sent out 10,000 copies of Oktar's latest book The Atlas of Creation and - big mistake - included Dawkins on their list. He read the book and described it as "preposterous".

This is not the first time Oktar has tried to silence Dawkins: Oktar attempted to get Dawkins's book The God Delusion banned in Turkey but a court rejected his claim that it insulted religion.

Dawkins is not in the best position to complain aboutany curtailment of his freedom of speech. Earlier this week he and other fellow of the Royal Society succeeded in ousting Professor Michael Reiss as director of education at the Royal Society, after Reiss had suggested that schoolteachers should be allowed to discuss creationism in science lessons.

People: Dawkins and Winston clash in Reiss row | News | The First Post

People: Turkish writer wins net ban on Dawkins | News | The First Post

You think this is a good thing?

Explain to me why you think it should be banned, your own words.

You think you can "ban" a website?

People get through, they always do.