The co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, canceled his participation to İstanbul Municipality’s World Cities Expo event. Wozniak was scheduled to deliver his speech in the second day of the expo on May 16.
On May 13, Wozniak said on his Twitter account that he was returning to the US. “Flying home instead of to an [incompletely] contracted appearance in Istanbul. US travel restrictions unsuitable,” Wozniak tweeted at London’s Heathrow Airport.
“Steve Wozniak, one of the main speakers of the Word Cities Expo Istanbul 2017 organized by Istanbul Municipality between May 15 and May 18, has incomprehensibly canceled his attendance even though [it is the last minute]. We will continue to share developments regarding the issue,” the expo organizers said.
İstanbul Municipality previously withdrew an invitation to Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales to the expo following his reactions to a Turkish government’s decision to ban access to Wikipedia in Turkey. “It is respectfully announced to the public that Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has been removed from the invitee list for the ‘World Cities Expo’ event and the decision has been conveyed to him,” read a statement from the municipality’s press agency.
The municipality’s
decision came in the wake of a controversial ban imposed on Wikipedia by Turkish authorities. Turkey blocked access to Wikipedia last Saturday, through a court measure used to block access to pages or entire websites to protect “national security and public order.”
The Turkish Telecommunications Authority (BTK) said an Ankara court ordered that a “protection measure” related to suspected Internet crimes be applied to Wikipedia. In response, Wikipedia founder Wales tweeted his support for those who labeled the decision censorship of social media: “Access to information is a fundamental human right. Turkish people I will always stand with you to fight for this right.”
May 15, 2017
