Turkish police carried out an operation at Halk TV’s headquarters in Istanbul, interrupting live broadcasts, the BBC reports. The channel, known for its criticism of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s political camp, said its staff were unable to enter the building on Wednesday morning, 14 October.
Halk TV also announced that a new manager had been appointed to run the channel. It was also unclear how long the interruption to broadcasting lasted or whether transmissions had resumed.
Turkish media cited by the BBC reported that financial crime officers were searching the building. Those reports also said 17 arrest warrants had been issued in connection with an operation linked to the channel’s owner. That does not mean 17 people were arrested: the BBC’s report did not confirm that the warrants had been executed. It also did not set out detailed allegations relating to the police operation.
The BBC describes Halk TV as an opposition-friendly channel, widely seen as close to the Republican People’s Party (CHP). It frequently criticises President Erdoğan’s ruling AK Party. That political stance provides important context, but does not in itself establish the motives behind the police operation.
