'Game of Thrones' banned in Turkey's military schools

The fiercely secular Turkish armed forces will also offer Islamic education in its schools for the first time.

Turkey's armed forces have introduced new regulations for the country's military schools, according to which classes on Islam will be taught for the first time – and the blockbuster U.S. television series “Game of Thrones” is now banned. The aim of the new rules is to “protect” students from “sexual exploitation, pornography, exhibitionism, abuse, harassment and all negative behaviors,” according to Hurriyet Daily News. Four military officers were discharged from the army in 2012 for allowing their students to watch “Game of Thrones” in an Istanbul military school. It was not specified whether the screening was recreational or part of the school curriculum. Military schools will now function according to an updated set of education regulations drafted by the armed forces. One chapter of the new regulations, reportedly titled “the protection of students,” bans the screening of certain content. In addition, the fiercely secular military will allow elective classes on Islam, including “basic religious education, the Quran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad.”