Turkish police raided Halk TV, one of the country’s most-watched opposition news channels, suspending its live broadcasts and taking 11 people into custody as part of a financial crimes investigation.

Prosecutors reportedly issued arrest warrants for 17 people in an investigation involving channel chairman Cafer Mahiroğlu, who faces allegations of bribery, rigging tenders and money laundering.

Authorities also appointed a new administrator to run the channel, which is known for criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government and supporting opposition viewpoints.

Opposition leaders and press organizations condemned the raid, accusing the government of using legal actions to suppress independent journalism and restrict the public’s access to information, BBC has reported.

The incident adds to a series of crackdowns on critical media outlets in Turkey, which ranked 163rd out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, according to Reporters Without Borders.