In what will no doubt be Dan Boyle’s favourite news story of the day, the Turkish president, Abdullah Gul has used his Twitter account to condemn the country’s ban on YouTube and some Google services.

Turkish President, Abdullah Gul

In separate tweets President Gul said he did not approve of the bans and had instructed officials to examine legal ways of reopening access. Courts have blocked access to YouTube since 2008 after Greek users posted videos alleging that founder of the modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was homosexual.

Says the Guardian, “Last week, Turkey extended the ban to some Google pages using the same internet protocol addresses as YouTube. In January the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe urged Turkey to abolish or reform a law allowing it to block around 3,700 Internet sites.”

Websites can be blocked under article 5651 of the Turkish penal code for a range of offences including insulting Ataturk, child pornography and encouraging suicide.