A police raid was carried out on Halk TV's building in Istanbul in the morning hours. A trustee was appointed to Halk TV, and television broadcasts were halted.
As part of an investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, detention warrants were issued for 17 people, including Halk TV Chairman of the Board Cafer Mahiroğlu. It was reported that 11 people have been detained.
"TODAY IS A DARK DAY FOR TURKEY"
Making a statement following the development, Halk TV Chairman of the Board Cafer Mahiroğlu reacted to the decision and said they would fight to get the channel back. Mahiroğlu stated, "Today is a dark day for Turkey. The public's right to receive information is being obstructed for political motives."
Halk Tv, Türk Halkı'nındır. Kayyum'la teslim alınamaz. https://t.co/mAhsmhpTUU
— Cafer Mahiroğlu (@cafermahiroglu) October 14, 2026
In a video shared on his X account, Mahiroğlu made the following statements:
"Hello, dear Turkish people and beloved Halk TV viewers. Today is a dark day for Turkey. The public's right to receive information is being obstructed for political motives. In the morning hours, the police showed up at the door of Halk TV. The employees of Turkey's most-watched channel were not allowed inside. We cannot control our broadcasts at the moment.
First of all, Halk TV is ours, Halk TV is yours. We will take our channel back, we will definitely take it back. Protecting Halk TV means protecting the struggle for democracy in Turkey, and no power will deter us from this.
"THEY ALSO DETAINED 7 OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS"
I call on the government to turn back from this wrong step. Do not do this. Turkey does not deserve this malice. A second issue is that all the allegations made against me, based on MASAK reports, are baseless. Using the judiciary as a weapon is the greatest harm done to Turkey. I want Turkey to know that this attack was not directed only at me. They also detained 7 of my family members. What hurt me the most was this: They went to the house of my 70-year-old brother in the Gürün district of Sivas and detained him.
Another issue is that I cannot go without mentioning Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Three days ago, he came out and lit the flare for today, just as he has done before. The public gave you the best answer, and they will continue to do so, Mr. Kemal. History will never forget you and your insidiousness.
This struggle is the struggle of us all. I invite you to protect Halk TV. We are people of faith. Our lifespan is limited. This is not Cafer Mahiroğlu's test; it is Turkey's test. I am sure that we will emerge from this test successfully together.
I convey my endless thanks and love to you all. I am grateful for the support you have given us to this day. I say, may God protect Turkey. I send my greetings and love to you all once again."
News Source: 12punto
