Turkey appoints trustee to run pro-opposition Halk TV amid opposition crackdown
The move comes days after Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the court-appointed chairman of Turkey's former main opposition Republican People's Party, publicly criticized Halk TV over its coverage.
Turkish authorities have appointed a government trustee to oversee pro-opposition broadcaster Halk TV, as part of an ongoing crackdown on opposition media. The move, announced on Wednesday by prosecutors, follows a financial investigation into Halk TV Chairman Cafer Mahiroglu, who is currently abroad and wanted by authorities. Mahiroglu faces charges of bribery, tender-rigging, and laundering crime proceeds.
Seventeen individuals were detained, with 11 already in custody, and firms linked to Mahiroglu have had their assets seized. Halk TV's live broadcast was interrupted at 6:30 a.m., and pre-recorded content resumed airing. Negotiations with the trustee to resume broadcasts have not resulted in any progress. The appointment comes days after opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu criticized Halk TV and Mahiroglu for its reporting, a development following the party's loss of leadership in May amidst a surge of legal actions targeting opposition figures.
The European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur, Nacho Sanchez Amor, called the move "a shameful example of systematic pressure on opposition media." This is the fifth major news outlet to have a trustee appointed, following similar legal decisions for Flash TV, Eko Turk, Haberturk, and Tele1. Rights groups and Western nations have raised concerns over the government's use of the judiciary and its efforts to stifle media freedom, particularly as it seeks to consolidate control over mainstream media.
Opposition parties have condemned the latest actions, with the Turkish Journalists Union Chairman describing the situation as facing "another dark chapter in terms of freedom of press and expression."
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