Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has imposed a series of severe punishments on several opposition news channels for their live coverage of the protests that erupted following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. RTÜK member İlhan Taşcı, representing the Republican People’s Party (CHP), announced the decisions on social media, describing them as “the heaviest sanctions in the council’s history”.
The channels sanctioned include SZC TV, Halk TV, Tele 1 and Now TV. They are accused of “inciting public hatred and hostility” through their broadcasts, which covered both the initial arrests and the subsequent rallies organised by CHP leader Özgür Özel. The sanctions range from multiple programme suspensions to temporary broadcasting bans and substantial administrative fines.
Cafer Mahiroğlu, the owner of Halk TV, which was subjected to five programme suspensions and fined five percent of its revenue, issued a statement on his X account expressing strong criticism of the decision. Mahiroğlu further asserted that this substantial penalty marks the final step before the revocation of the broadcasting licence, thereby indicating the potential closure of the channel.
RTÜK günlerdir savurduğu tehditlerin gereğini yaptı, Halk TV’ye yine a
ğır bir ceza kesti.
Bu ağır ceza yayın lisansının iptalinden önceki son durak.
Bizden haber yapmamamızı, varlık sebebimizi inkar etmemizi istiyorlar.
Görme, duyma, konuşma diyorlar.
Herkes bilmelidir…
— Cafer Mahiroglu (@cafermahiroglu) March 27, 2025
RTÜK is Turkey’s main regulatory body for radio and television broadcasting, established to ensure compliance with national broadcasting laws. It has considerable powers to impose fines, suspend broadcasts or even revoke licences. In theory, RTÜK’s mandate is to promote ethical and legal broadcasting. However, many local journalists have accused it of increasingly using these powers to silence critical media – particularly those seen as opposed to the current government.
RELATED ARTICLES
Nearly 1,900 detained as Turkey protests İstanbul mayor’s arrest for eighth nightX suspends accounts of opposition supporters in Turkey, amid ‘political coup’Seven journalists jailed in Istanbul for covering protests
RTÜK’s most recent interventions have focused on the coverage of the protests that followed the detention of İmamoğlu. Supporters of the mayor convened in major cities to denounce what they perceive as politically motivated charges. Multiple channels provided uninterrupted live coverage of these rallies, which featured addresses by figures representing the opposition, including the leader of the CHP, Özgür Özel.
The recently imposed sanctions by RTÜK have been characterised as “the most stringent in its history” by İlhan Taşcı, a member of the opposition who also serves on the RTÜK. The sanctions imposed include:
SZC TV: A 10-day broadcast suspension and an administrative fine of 3% of its monthly advertising revenue, citing remarks allegedly encouraging public hostility.
Halk TV: Has been fined 5% of its advertising revenue, has been compelled to suspend five programmes, and has been subjected to an additional 3% fine for commentary deemed insulting to government officials.
Tele 1: Has also been fined 5% of its advertising revenue and required to suspend five programmes for its coverage of protests; it received an additional 3% fine over remarks targeting RTÜK’s leadership.
Now TV: It was penalised with a 2% fine for suggesting on air that legal actions against İmamoğlu may be politically driven.
