On the day of the raid Turkish police took control of Halk TV, the main opposition television channel. Officers entered the building, seized equipment and arrested eleven employees. The channel’s chairman, Cafer Mahiroglu, was among those detained. The action halted live broadcasts and left journalists unable to reach their workplaces. As one presenter put it, "Our channel is officially under siege. I still cannot access the building where I have worked for five years."
Authorities said the operation was part of an ongoing corruption investigation. According to the police, the raid was linked to allegations of bribery and money laundering. The station’s management has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the claims against it are unfounded.
Journalists and opposition leaders condemned the move as a violation of press freedom and a political act. Cafer Mahiroglu, the chairman of Halk TV, declared, "a dark day for Turkey."
The media union described the police action as arbitrary, while the station’s management insisted it had committed no illegal acts.
The incident highlights the continuing tensions between the Turkish government and media outlets that are critical of the state.
Özgür Özel, a senior opposition figure, criticized the arbitrariness used by political power in recent years to settle problems. Halk TV, a popular opposition‑leaning station based in Istanbul, was the target of the raid. The media union described the police action as arbitrary, while the station’s management insisted it had committed no illegal acts. They said the case was connected to a broader investigation into corruption and money laundering.
Police arrested eleven people, including the channel’s chairman Cafer Mahiroglu. Following the raid, the authorities appointed a government trustee to run Halk TV. The trustee’s appointment coincided with the halt of all live broadcasts from the channel.
The raid on Halk TV follows a crackdown on LGBTQ‑focused media in Turkey and comes amid broader concerns about press freedom in the country.
On the same day Turkish authorities also shut down the T24 website and its social media accounts. Supporters of Halk TV insist that all allegations against the chairman are baseless—a sentiment echoed in a German statement: "What is happening here right now is illegal." Meanwhile, police maintain that the eleven detained individuals were arrested on bribery and money laundering charges related to the ongoing investigation.
Following the raid, authorities appointed a government trustee to run Halk TV, halting live broadcasts.