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Turkish police raid opposition TV station Halk TV and halt live broadcasts
Overview
Turkish financial crimes police raided the headquarters of the pro-opposition news channel Halk TV, halting its live broadcasts and detaining 11 people in an investigation involving the channel's chairman, Cafer Mahiroğlu. The government also appointed a new administrator to run the station. Opposition figures and the Istanbul Bar Association strongly condemned the raid, linking it to broader government suppression of critical media and the ongoing trial of political rival Ekrem Imamoğlu.
Key points
- Turkish police raided the Istanbul headquarters of pro-opposition news channel Halk TV, halting live broadcasts and its YouTube stream.
- Eleven people were taken into custody during the raid, which was linked to an investigation into channel chairman Cafer Mahiroğlu over allegations of bribery, rigging tenders and money laundering.
- The Turkish government appointed a new administrator to run the channel.
- Prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 17 individuals in total, and Mahiroğlu stated that seven of his family members were among those detained.
- The raid was denounced by the Istanbul Bar Association and opposition politicians, who noted it coincided with the court defense of imprisoned Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu.
- Press freedom organisations note that Turkey ranks low on the World Press Freedom Index, with the vast majority of national media under government control or pressure.