Polisi Turki menggerebek stasiun TV oposisi, menghentikan siaran langsung

Police in riot gear were seen outside the office in Istanbul early on Wednesday

Turkish police have raided the headquarters of one of the country's most-watched news channels, halting its live broadcasts.

Reports in Turkish media said financial crimes police were searching the building of Halk TV, a pro-opposition channel, and that 11 people had been taken into custody in a raid linked to the channel's owner. The government also appointed a new administrator to run the channel.

It is the latest in a series of crackdowns on news sources deemed to be critical of Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and his government.

Halk journalists were initially unable to get into the building, although they later were allowed in, several reporters said on X.

There was a heavy police presence in the building, they said.

Halk's news channel and live broadcasts on its YouTube page were both offline early on Wednesday.

The channel has been seen by many in the country as being close to the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). It often voices criticism of Erdoğan's ruling AK party.

Prosecutors said arrest warrants had been issued for 17 people as part of the investigation into Halk chairman Cafer Mahiroğlu on allegations of bribery, rigging tenders and money laundering, Turkish media reported.

Mahiroğlu, who was reportedly not in the country during the raid, wrote on social media that seven members of his family were among those detained.

"Today is a dark day for Turkey," he said in a video message. "The public's right to information is being seized for political reasons."

The Istanbul Bar Association denounced the move, which it noted came hours before Ekrem Imamoğlu, widely seen as Erdoğan's biggest political rival, was due to begin his defence against corruption charges in court, for which he has been in prison for over a year.

A Halk TV staff member shared images of police stood beside a TV studio during the raid

Özgür Özel, leader of the opposition New Party, called the raid "weak and cowardly".

"Storming a TV channel with a police raid at dawn and appointing a trustee is something only dictators do," he wrote on social media.

Özel set up the party after being removed as the CHP's leader by a court in May and replaced by a party veteran who had previously been voted out, in a move which further cemented Erdoğan's grip on power.

Turkey ranked 163rd out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2026 World Press Freedom Index, external.

The organisation stated that 90% of national media outlets were under government control and criticised the "abusive prosecution" of critical publications in the country, which Erdoğan has led since 2003.

The vast majority of Turkish media is seen as pro-government after years of state legal and financial pressure, corporate acquisitions and self-censorship.

In September, a court ordered the blocking of access to the website and social media accounts of T24, on the grounds that it had published "LGBT propaganda".

In October 2025, the authorities seized control of Tele1, another pro-opposition TV channel, appointing a trustee to oversee broadcasts, which were stripped of all hard-news content.

The channel still exists but its pro-opposition stance has been completely neutralised.

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Polisi Turki menggerebek kantor pusat salah satu saluran berita paling banyak ditonton di negara itu, menghentikan siaran langsungnya.

Laporan di media Turki menyebut polisi kejahatan keuangan sedang menggeledah gedung Halk TV, saluran pro-opposisi, dan bahwa 11 orang telah ditahan dalam penggerebekan yang terkait dengan pemilik saluran tersebut. Pemerintah juga menunjuk administrator baru untuk menjalankan saluran itu.

Ini adalah yang terbaru dalam serangkaian tindakan keras terhadap sumber berita yang dianggap kritis terhadap Presiden Turki Tayyip Erdoğan dan pemerintahannya.

Jurnalis Halk awalnya tidak dapat masuk ke gedung, meskipun mereka kemudian diizinkan masuk, beberapa reporter mengatakan di X.

Ada kehadiran polisi yang besar di gedung itu, kata mereka.

Saluran berita Halk dan siaran langsung di halaman YouTube-nya sama-sama offline pada Rabu dini hari.

Saluran itu dipandang oleh banyak orang di negara itu sebagai dekat dengan Partai Rakyat Republik (CHP) oposisi. Saluran itu sering menyuarakan kritik terhadap partai AK yang berkuasa, partainya Erdoğan.

Jaksa mengatakan surat perintah penangkapan telah dikeluarkan untuk 17 orang sebagai bagian dari penyelidikan terhadap ketua Halk, Cafer Mahiroğlu, atas tuduhan penyuapan, pengaturan tender, dan pencucian uang, lapor media Turki.

Mahiroğlu, yang dilaporkan tidak berada di negara itu selama penggerebekan, menulis di media sosial bahwa tujuh anggota keluarganya termasuk di antara mereka yang ditahan.

"Hari ini adalah hari yang gelap bagi Turki," katanya dalam pesan video. "Hak publik atas informasi sedang dirampas untuk alasan politik."

Asosiasi Pengacara Istanbul mengecam langkah itu, yang mereka catat terjadi beberapa jam sebelum Ekrem Imamoğlu, yang secara luas dipandang sebagai rival politik terbesar Erdoğan, dijadwalkan mulai membela diri terhadap tuduhan korupsi di pengadilan, yang membuatnya telah dipenjara lebih dari satu tahun.

Seorang anggota staf Halk TV membagikan gambar polisi berdiri di samping studio TV selama penggerebekan

Özgür Özel, pemimpin Partai Baru oposisi, menyebut penggerebekan itu "lemah dan pengecut".

"Menggerebek saluran TV dengan razia polisi saat fajar dan menunjuk wali amanat adalah sesuatu yang hanya dilakukan oleh diktator," tulisnya di media sosial.

Özel mendirikan partai itu setelah diberhentikan sebagai pemimpin CHP oleh pengadilan pada Mei dan digantikan oleh veteran partai yang sebelumnya telah diberhentikan melalui pemungutan suara, dalam langkah yang semakin memperkuat cengkeraman Erdoğan atas kekuasaan.

Turki berada di peringkat 163 dari 180 negara dalam Indeks Kebebasan Pers Dunia 2026 dari Reporters Without Borders (RSF), tautan eksternal.

Organisasi itu menyatakan bahwa 90% media nasional berada di bawah kendali pemerintah dan mengkritik "penuntutan yang sewenang-wenang" terhadap publikasi kritis di negara itu, yang dipimpin Erdoğan sejak 2003.

Sebagian besar media Turki dipandang pro-pemerintah setelah bertahun-tahun tekanan hukum dan finansial negara, akuisisi korporat, dan sensor diri.

Pada September, pengadilan memerintahkan pemblokiran akses ke situs web dan akun media sosial T24, dengan alasan bahwa media itu telah menerbitkan "propaganda LGBT".

Pada Oktober 2025, otoritas mengambil kendali atas Tele1, saluran TV pro-opposisi lainnya, menunjuk wali amanat untuk mengawasi siaran, yang dilucuti dari semua konten berita keras.

Saluran itu masih ada tetapi sikap pro-opposisinya telah sepenuhnya dinetralkan.

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