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Protests over Halk TV trustee appointment

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-21 12:32 UTC → 2026-10-21 17:25 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the appointment of a trustee to Halk TV by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, political and media figures have organized responses to defend press liberty. Initially, the YENİ Parti announced a solidarity rally scheduled for Wednesday evening in front of the television station in Istanbul. Party spokesperson Zeynel Emre stated the demonstration aims to support “media freedom and press liberty.” Halk TV owner Cafer Mahiroğlu also called on the public to stand by the channel. This was followed by a broader call from YENİ Parti Chairman Özgür Özel, who invited supporters to gather at the station and participate in marches and press conferences organized by media professional organizations across 14 provinces. While these actions are framed as opposing censorship, journalist Melik Yiğitel criticized the move, suggesting the shift toward street politics reflects a lack of effective political strategy. Recent developments show that the appointment of the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) as a trustee has coincided with the suspension of Halk TV broadcasts. Media professional organizations, including the Turkish Journalists' Union and the Press Council, have called for simultaneous demonstrations on October 24 in cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir to protest against detentions, arrests, and the imposition of trustees. Furthermore, digital access to the channel has been restricted; the platform X has made the station’s account invisible to users within Turkey, following previous access bans on its YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram accounts under Law No. 5651. In a separate matter, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum rejected allegations made by Özgür Özel regarding a development project in Ayazağa, Istanbul. Kurum stated the project was initiated in 2022 with approval from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), noting the municipality is a direct partner in the project.

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