Istanbul, July 18 (IANS) Over 2,000 protesters marched in Turkey's largest city Istanbul against strict internet censorship in the country.

The protesters were demanding that a law preventing access to over 5,000 internet sites banned in Turkey be repealed.

They chanted slogans Saturday for removing the ban on video-sharing website YouTube and against the transportation minister, whose ministry is responsible for website bans, Xinhua reported.

"Don't touch the internet, pull away your hand," the protesters shouted.

The protest was organised by the Common Platform Against Internet Censorship, a platform of over 50 non-governmental organisations.

There was always dissatisfaction with internet censorship, but this was the first time people poured out into the streets, Ozgur Uckan of Bilgi University, one of the organisers of the rally, said.

There are about 30 million internet users in Turkey, which has a total population of 70 million.