Repression Morning Star
Turkish authorities raid TV channel in new opposition crackdown
TURKISH authorities raided the headquarters today of one of the country’s few broadcasters not aligned with the government, and appointed a trustee manager to oversee it as part of an investigation in
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Press freedom groups and opposition parties, however, denounced the move against Halk TV, calling it yet another step by the government to silence opposition voices.
Press freedoms in Turkey have steadily eroded during the more than two decades that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power and a majority of media outlets are under government control.
A statement from the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office said that an investigation was launched into Halk TV chairman Cafer Mahiroglu over allegations of bid rigging, bribery and money laundering.
Detention warrants were issued against 17 suspects and 11 of them were taken into custody, the statement said, without providing information on those detained.
Mr Mahiroglu, who lives abroad, has previously denied accusations against him.
The Ankara-based Contemporary Journalists Association said: “The appointment of a trustee to Halk TV and the suspension of its broadcast constitute a grave intervention against press freedom and freedom of expression.
“This decision, which disregards constitutional rights and the public’s right to access information, is unacceptable.”
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