Turkey Restricts Elle Magazine to Over-18s, Citing Lewd Content

ISTANBUL, Turkey — The Turkish edition of Elle Magazine faces sale restrictions after a prime ministerial committee found this month's edition to contain "obscene content."

When the penalties come into effect the fashion magazine will only be sold inside an envelope or plastic casing, and only to those above 18 years of age. It will be required to carry a “Harmful to Minors” notice on its cover — currently graced by a photo of supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley — and will not be allowed to advertise.

The restrictions are being imposed after some articles and photos in the March issue were deemed to be injurious to the morality of children under the age of 18, according to a notice published on Friday by the Prime Ministry’s Office to Protect Children from Obscene Publications. The announcement wasn’t specific about which images had offended.

Elle’s publisher in Turkey, Dogan Burda Dergi, has not received any formal notice of the government’s decision, board member Mehmet Yakup Yilmaz told Bloomberg by phone. As soon as they do receive it they will appeal, he said.

Dogan Burda Dergi Yayincilik ve Pazarlama AS, which publishes Elle Magazine in Turkey, is a joint venture between the country’s Dogan Sirketler Grubu Holding and Germany’s Burda GmBH. The company’s shares were trading 1 percent lower by 12:49 p.m. in Istanbul.

By Tugce Ozsoy; editors: Celeste Perri, Isobel Finkel and John Viljoen.