Police raid shuts down broadcasts

Turkish financial crimes police raided Halk TV headquarters in Istanbul early Wednesday, halting the pro-opposition channel's live broadcasts and taking eleven people into custody.

Charges against channel owner

Prosecutors issued arrest warrants for seventeen people including Halk chairman Cafer Mahiroğlu on allegations of bribery, rigging tenders and money laundering. Mahiroğlu was reportedly not in the country.

Owner calls it political persecution

Mahiroğlu said seven family members were detained and called the raid a dark day for Turkey. He wrote that the public's right to information is being seized for political reasons.

“Today is a dark day for Turkey. The public's right to information is being seized for political reasons.”

Part of wider media crackdown

The raid comes as Ekrem Imamoğlu, seen as Erdoğan's biggest political rival, begins his defence against corruption charges.

Opposition condemns authoritarian move

Özgür Özel, leader of the opposition New Party, called the raid weak and cowardly.The Istanbul Bar Association denounced the move as something only dictators do.Ninety percent of national media outlets are under government control.

“Storming a TV channel with a police raid at dawn and appointing a trustee is something only dictators do.”