ANKARA — Turkey's broadcasting watchdog said on Thursday it will order Netflix to block access local to the soon-to-be-released film "Cuties" on grounds that it contains images of child exploitation. The ruling came ahead of the Sept. 9 international release of the French film on the U.S. online streaming service. It followed recent media reports of Turkish government interference in a separate planned Netflix series featuring a gay character. The plot of "Cuties" centres on an 11-year-old Muslim girl who "starts to rebel against her conservative family's traditions when she becomes fascinated with a free-spirited dance crew," according to Netflix. "It was decided unanimously that the broadcaster must remove the relevant programme from its catalogue," the Radio and Television High Council (RTUK) said in a statement after a meeting of the board.

Source: International New York Times September 03, 2020 13:07 UTC