In brief
Police journalists were swept inside Halk TV’s Istanbul office, shutting down the station’s live broadcasts. The raid targeted the channel’s owner and detained 11 people in a move seen as part of a broader sweep against critical media. With a new administrator appointed, the channel’s future remains uncertain amid Turkey’s tight grip on press freedom.
Turkish police raided Halk TV’s headquarters in Istanbul, shutting down its live streams and taking 11 people into custody.
The raid was carried out by the country’s financial‑crime police and followed allegations of bribery, rigging tenders and money‑laundering involving the channel’s owner, Cafer Mahiroğlu.
Halk TV, a popular pro‑opposition outlet closely linked to the Republic People’s Party (CHP), was hit at dawn. Police in riot gear surrounded the building, and a new administrator was appointed to run the station, a move critics say mirrors past textbook coups.
The government‑led crackdown comes after a string of actions that silenced dissenting voices, including blocking the controversial T24 website in September and taking control of Tele1 last year.
Mahiroğlu, who was not in Turkey during the raid, posted a video saying “Today is a dark day for Turkey – the public’s right to information is being seized for political reasons.”
The Istanbul Bar Association denounced the operation, noting it was carried out just hours before opposition leader Ekrem Imamoğlu began his defence against corruption charges.
Press Freedom Index 2026 placed Turkey 163rd out of 180, with 90% of outlets under government influence. The raid exemplifies a trend where the state suppresses critical media through legal and financial pressure.
