Turkey Cuts Halk TV Broadcast, Jails 53 in 436-Defendant İmamoğlu Trial

Turkish police raided the Istanbul headquarters of opposition broadcaster Halk TV at dawn on Wednesday, 14 October, halting its live broadcast and appointing a government trustee to run the network [262112][263277]. Hundreds of officers entered the building, and staff were not allowed in while the search was ongoing [262371][262804]. Halk TV chairman Cafer Mahiroglu called the raid on the broadcaster's Istanbul headquarters "a dark day for Turkey," and the opposition and human rights groups also criticized the takeover [262097]. Amnesty International called the move a direct attack on free speech in Turkey [262787].

The takeover happened on the same day İmamoğlu began his defense in the main trial against him [263277]. The second hearing of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) case resumed on its 36th day, involving 436 defendants, 53 of whom are in jail [264174]. Among the jailed defendants is Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul and a presidential candidate for the New Party (Yeni Parti) [262803]. İmamoğlu has requested that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, former leader of the main opposition party, be heard as a witness in the case [262771].

From his cell, İmamoğlu questioned the government's "Family Year" campaign, asking: "Is this what a family year looks like?" [264174]. He also criticized what he called a double standard in Turkey's justice system, saying a dawn operation was carried out against the İBB while the same speed was not shown in a fund embezzlement case [262794].

Separately, Turkish prosecutors opened a new investigation into İmamoğlu after he described and impersonated a phone call with Justice Minister Akın Gürlek during his defense testimony [264177]. Özgür Özel, leader of Turkey's main opposition party, criticized the state broadcaster, saying it lacks the courage to air coverage of an ongoing court case [264169].

The Savings Deposit Insurance Fund, a state body tied to the presidency, will now manage Halk TV [263277]. The Istanbul prosecutor's office ordered the arrest of Halk TV's owner and 16 others on accusations of bribery, money laundering, and rigging tenders [263277]. An anchor was interviewing someone about an investment fund scandal involving prominent figures in Erdoğan's party when administrators cut the live broadcast, leaving viewers watching a scene from an old Turkish film [263277].