People's Party advisor: content deletion on social media is an attempt to silence society

In Northern Cyprus, Fevzi Tanpınar, advisor to the chairman of the People's Party, spoke out on April 13 with sharp criticism of attempts to delete posts and video materials on social media, stating that these are not isolated steps but an attack on freedom of expression.

In a written statement provided to Kıbrıs Postası, Tanpınar called the attempts to remove content "not censorship" in the traditional sense, but an attempt to accustom society to silence and make people manageable. According to him, those who restrict the right to express thoughts thereby admit their fears: "The truth cannot be silenced. You are merely announcing your fear."

The advisor emphasized that the issue concerns freedom itself, not just a few videos or posts. "This society has learned to exist not through silence, but through conversation. The more you darken, the louder we will speak," he noted, adding that deletion attempts create a reverse effect and increase the spread of information.

Practical benefit for residents: the statement predicts an increase in public activity online and calls for vigilance regarding the protection of the right to expression. Kıbrıs Postası presents Tanpınar's words unchanged; no further comments from the authorities have been received yet.