Turkey: Government raids, takes over top news channel

Turkish authorities raid and take control of top news channel Halk TV, halting broadcasts and appointing a government trustee.

The full report

Turkish authorities have taken control of Halk TV, a top news channel in the country, by raiding its Istanbul offices and halting broadcasts. The move is the latest in a series of actions by the government against pro-opposition media outlets.

According to a statement from the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office, Halk TV owner Cafer Mahiroglu is under investigation for alleged corruption, including bribery, tender-rigging, and laundering of assets derived from crime. Government trustees were installed at Halk TV and other companies owned by Mahiroglu.

The raid on Halk TV's Istanbul studios was carried out by police, who cut all broadcasts and appointed a government trustee to oversee the company during the investigation. The move has been condemned by press freedom groups and opposition parties, who see it as an attempt by the government to silence its critics.

Halk TV chairman Cafer Mahiroglu has described the move as "a dark day for Turkey" and blasted the allegations against him as "baseless". He has also accused the government of using the judiciary as a weapon to harm the country.

The opposition has joined Mahiroglu in condemning the government takeover, with Ozgur Ozel, leader of the main opposition New Party, calling the raid "weak and cowardly". Ozel has also accused the government of reducing the country to a state of dictatorship.

The move against Halk TV is the latest in a series of actions by the Turkish government against pro-opposition media outlets. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been accused of using the judiciary to silence his critics and maintain control over the media.