Turkey: Publication ban on multiple truck crashes that killed 20 people

A Turkish court issued a publication ban regarding a deadly incident in which 20 people were killed in the Kurdish-majority city of Derik when two trucks successively ran over the crowd on Saturday.

Turkey's media regulator announced the ban on its website to warn media outlets not to make further reports on the incident.

20 people were killed in Derik on 20 August when a truck with a blown-out tire ran over a group of people, followed by another truck that ran out of brakes and sped into the crowd who have gathered in the scene. 26 others were injured.

The ban order on Monday, issued upon an application by the prosecutor's office in Derik, said:

"All news reports, interviews and critical remarks on printed, visual and internet media have been prohibited in the course of the investigation in order to prevent criminal offenses and to protect national well-being, national security, public order and safety."

Both Turkish authorities and the business group that owns the trucks were subjected to strong criticism after the incident.

Mardin deputy and spokeswoman for the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Ebru Gunay, said that the incident was the result of "a chain of neglect."