The deputy prime minister of Turkey has said that women should not laugh in public to protect their chasteness.
In a speech on moral corruption in the country, Bulent Arinc has slammed consumerism and excessive mobile phone use.
He has called for chastity in both men and women, and blamed television and the media for turning teenagers into 'sex addicts'.
In response, hundreds of Turkish women posted pictures of themselves laughing on Twitter to protest the comments.
#kahkaha sorridiamo con voi pic.twitter.com/JcvkdjdNHY
— marianna abbate (@MariannaAbbate) July 30, 2014
#direnkahkaha We are with you girls! #kahkaha #Italy pic.twitter.com/0tFTCfHpKH
— Vittoria Iacovella (@vittoriacovella) July 30, 2014
Anneanne anne torun üç kuÅŸak örgüt kurarak ÅŸuursuzca #kahkaha atıyrlar @bulent_arinc @YrGngelopoulos @enveraysever2 pic.twitter.com/RYhOmSB041
— Duygu Halis (@DuyguDh) July 29, 2014
But Mr Arinc criticised the media for taking his comments out of context and focusing on a small part of his speech.
"Some people criticise me by picking up only a part of an 1 1/2-hour speech. What a baseless and disgusting claim. People who have listened to all of my comments have realised this" he was quoted as saying by Hurriyet newspaper.
"I believe I have made a useful speech" he said.
Opponents accuse the government of ruling in an increasingly authoritarian manner and meddling in private lives of people.
