Game of Thrones Too Risque for Turkish Military Students: Army Bans Screenings of Series

The Turkish military has banned its academy cadets from watching Game of Thrones because of the popular television series' explicit contents, local media reported.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said that military students should study the Koran instead of dreaming of flying dragons, swordfights, palace ploys and love affairs.

The edict was contained in a new set of regulations laid out by the Army for its schools across the country, daily Cumhuriyet reported.

HBO's fantasy series was said to have become the target of the Ankara censor's axe due to the many scenes of nudity.

Screenings have in fact been proscribed as a measure to protect cadets from "sexual exploitation, pornography, exhibitionism, abuse, harassment and all negative behaviours," according to Hurriyet Daily News.

The development follows the discharging of four army officers who let their students watch the blockbuster series in 2012.

The new regulations also introduced for the first time elective classes on Islam in the curriculum of the traditional secular army military academy.

The reform falls in line with the religious conservative agenda implemented by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his 11-year rule, which has seen, for example, the implementation of stricter laws on alcohol consumption and abortion.