Riot police on Saturday fired plastic bullets, tear gas and water cannons at hundreds of people in Istanbul protesting a government plan to expand controls over the public's use of the Internet.
Police acted after some protesters hurled firebombs at officers. Plainclothes police were seen arresting demonstrators. There weren't any immediate reports of injuries.
Hundreds of people held a similar protest in the capital, Ankara. No violence was reported there.
The draft bill would allow Turkey's telecommunications authority to block websites or remove content deemed to violate privacy without a court decision, and force service providers to keep Internet users' data for two years.
Critics say that would tighten the government's already tight grip on the Internet. The government rejects accusations of censorship, saying the move aims to protect privacy. - AP























