In brief
Turkish police raided Halk TV's Istanbul headquarters, shutting down live broadcasts. The station appointed a new manager amid 17 arrest warrants involving its owner. The raid follows a court move that removed the CHP leadership and follows the detention of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu. Experts warn the action signals a broader clampdown on dissenting media voices in Turkey.
Turkish police raided the headquarters of Halk TV, a prominent opposition‑aligned channel, shutting down its live broadcasts.
Top officials say staff were barred from entering the Istanbul office on Wednesday morning. The police, acting under the financial crimes unit, cited 17 arrest warrants linked to the channel's owner.
Following the raid, the station named a new manager to oversee operations, but regular programming remains suspended. Halk TV has long been a vocal critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling AK‑Party.
The move follows a May court decision that removed the Republican People's Party (CHP) leadership from the party chairmanship, a step the opposition said further tightened Erdoğan's grip on power. Meanwhile, Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, an outspoken critic of the government, continues to fight corruption accusations that he denies.
Observers say the raid could be part of a broader effort to silence dissenting media voices and consolidate political control.
