Turkey’s media regulator has imposed 10-day broadcast blackouts on opposition channels Halk TV and Sözcü TV, accusing them of “inciting hatred and hostility.” The decision has sparked widespread criticism and renewed concerns over press freedom in the country.
The watchdog formally notified Halk TV that the blackout will begin at 12:00 a.m. on July 8, unless the decision is overturned in court. Because the channel has been penalized for the same offense within the past year, it now faces the risk of having its broadcasting license permanently revoked.
The sanction stems from comments made by nuclear physicist Tolga Yarman during a June episode of a talk show. Yarman said, “Turkey is not becoming more religious; it is becoming more sectarian,” and claimed the country was “incited against Iran” following the naming of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. RTÜK ruled that the remarks encouraged hatred.
Halk TV has said it will challenge the decision in court. Channel owner Cafer Mahiroğlu called the ruling politically motivated and vowed to resist government pressure. “Even if you blackout the channel for 100 days, let alone 10, we will not give in,” Mahiroğlu said in a televised statement. “We will not compromise the public’s right to information.”
Sözcü TV will also go off the air for 10 days starting July 8, after the Ankara 7th Administrative Court lifted an earlier stay of execution on the penalty. The blackout is linked to recent broadcasts, including critical commentary on political cartoons and opposition speeches.
In a related case, RTÜK fined TELE1 for airing on-screen messages during coverage of the 100th day of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s detention. The texts included slogans such as “We will not bow down to the junta” and “Erdoğan is the head of the junta.” RTÜK said the content violated broadcasting rules.
While cracking down on domestic channels, RTÜK has lifted access bans on three foreign-based news websites — dw.com, dwturkce.com, and inspiredminds.de — after determining their content qualifies as journalism and no longer breaches licensing laws.
Access to the Turkish-language services of German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) and Voice of America (VOA) remains blocked under a 2022 court order.
