Turkish Police Raid and Seize Headquarters of Opposition Broadcaster Halk TV

On October 14, 2026, Turkish financial crimes police raided the Istanbul headquarters of Halk TV, one of the nation's main private pro-opposition television channels, halting live broadcasts and taking physical control of the building. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office assigned management of the outlet to a public trustee, the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), following simultaneous morning police operations.

The prosecutor's office announced that the raid was part of an investigation into corruption, bid-rigging, bribery, and money laundering involving Halk TV owner Cafer Mahiroğlu. Authorities issued arrest warrants for 17 people and detained 11 individuals during the operations. A court order was issued seizing all companies where Mahiroğlu is a director or partner, alongside tied entities. In a video message on X, Mahiroğlu, who resides abroad, denied all accusations as false and reported that seven of his relatives in Turkey were taken into police custody.

During the raid, police initially prevented employees from entering the building, though some staff were later allowed inside. Live television broadcasts were stopped and replaced with music and documentaries. While staff initially maintained control of Halk TV's website and social media accounts, local media reported that a court ordered all of the channel's social media accounts to be blocked from access within Turkey. The operation occurred on the same day that Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, considered President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's main political rival, was scheduled to give court testimony that Halk TV was expected to cover extensively.

Press freedom and human rights organizations strongly condemned the raid. CPJ Turkey representative Özgür Öğret called the seizure a devastating blow to freedom of expression in a landscape dominated by pro-government media. Esther Major, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for Europe, described the action as a brutal blow to media freedom and a direct assault on free expression. Both organizations called on Turkish authorities to immediately end the takeover and return control of Halk TV to its staff.

The takeover of Halk TV occurs against the backdrop of an intense and sustained crackdown on independent and pro-opposition media in Turkey. Over the past year, Turkish authorities have arrested or detained dozens of journalists and blocked public access to thousands of social media accounts belonging to reporters and human rights defenders. Just two days prior to the Halk TV raid, Amnesty International joined 20 media freedom groups to urge social media platforms including X and Meta to resist Turkish court blocking orders that violate freedom of expression.

The seizure mirrors previous actions taken by Turkish authorities against critical news organizations. In October 2025, almost exactly one year before the Halk TV raid, state authorities seized control of TELE1, another prominent pro-opposition news television channel, and appointed a trustee manager to oversee its operations. Because the vast majority of mainstream media outlets in Turkey are pro-government, channels such as Halk TV and TELE1 served as rare national platforms for critical reporting, political debate, and opposition voices.