ANKARA: A Turkish court has ordered Facebook to block a number of pages deemed insulting to the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), threatening to stop access to the whole social networking site if it does not comply, local media reported.

The order made by the court on Sunday followed a request by a prosecutor, state broadcaster TRT reported.

No one from Facebook was immediately available for comment.

It was the latest move to crack down on material seen as offending religious sensibilities in the largely Muslim nation, where the government of President Tayyip Erdogan is seen pursuing an Islamist-leaning agenda.

Earlier this month, prosecutors launched an inquiry into a newspaper which reprinted parts of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in the wake of an attack by Islamic militants on its offices in Paris.

On Jan 7, two gunmen had stormed the offices of Charlie Hepdo, killing at least 12 people, including two police officers, in the worst militant attack on French soil in recent decades.

Take a look: 12 dead in shooting at Paris offices of satirical magazine

Al Qaeda in Yemen had claimed responsibility for the attack on Charlie Hebdo in a video posted online, saying it was “vengeance” for the French weekly's cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

Examine: Al Qaeda in Yemen claims attack on Charlie Hebdo

Opinion

Editorial

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