Turkish authorities raid Halk TV and appoint a trustee to run it

Turkish authorities raided Halk TV’s Istanbul headquarters on Wednesday and appointed a trustee to run the broadcaster.

Halk TV is one of Turkey’s few major channels seen as close to the opposition, and it often criticises President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government.

The takeover is linked to an investigation of owner Cafer Mahiroğlu over allegations of bribery, bid rigging and money laundering, which he has previously denied.

Prosecutors issued detention orders for 17 people and said 11 had been taken into custody.

The channel’s live broadcasts were halted while police searched the building, and staff were prevented from entering.

Opposition figures and press freedom groups condemned the move, saying it threatened independent reporting and people’s access to information.

The investigation and trustee’s control are now central to the channel’s future, though the authorities have not said when live broadcasting may resume.