BERLIN, March 21 (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's government criticised Turkey on Friday for blocking access to social media platform Twitter, saying it did not fit with Germany's view of freedom of expression.
"What we are hearing from Turkey does not comply with what we in Germany understand as free communication," said Merkel's spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz. "It doesn't fit with our idea of freedom of expression to forbid or block any form of communication."
Turkey's courts blocked access to Twitter following Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's vow, on the campaign trail ahead of March 30 local elections, to "wipe out" the service. He says he does not care what the international community says about it, though President Abdullah Gul has objected to his actions. (Reporting by Stephen Brown; Editing by Noah Barkin)
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