Turkish authorities seize top news channel amid claims of a fund scandal cover-up

Turkish police raided Halk TV's Istanbul offices in the early hours, cutting off its signal and appointing a state trustee to run the channel. Cafer Mahiroğlu, the station's owner since 2005, received the news while in London and said the operation was presented as a corruption investigation, which he dismissed as unfounded. He contended that the real motive was to shift public focus away from a sprawling investment-fund scandal involving alleged market manipulation and assets worth about $17 billion, linked to individuals close to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party.

Mahiroğlu insisted his bank transfers are fully traceable and urged authorities to release the Financial Crimes Investigation Board's reports. The incident occurs amid a tightening media environment, with recent shutdowns of T24's online platforms and the takeover of opposition broadcaster Tele1. Mahiroğlu vowed to continue broadcasting via YouTube and other platforms, rejecting any abandonment of Halk TV.