Arrest Warrant Issued for Opposition Broadcaster Cafer Mahiroğlu Amid Widening Crackdown on Critical Media

By PA Turkey Editorial Team

Media Mogul Mahiroğlu Faces Corruption Probe, Denies Allegations

An arrest warrant has been issued for Cafer Mahiroğlu, the owner and chairman of opposition-leaning broadcaster Halk TV, over allegations of bid rigging. The warrant, issued by an Istanbul criminal court, follows statements by Aziz İhsan Aktaş, a suspect in a broader corruption investigation involving allegations of forming a criminal organization, bribery, money laundering, and violations of tax laws.

According to a statement from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Mahiroğlu is accused of interfering in public tender processes. The investigation—registered under file number 2024/236201—was reportedly launched based on Aktaş’s testimony and supporting documents uncovered during ongoing investigative procedures. Authorities confirmed that Mahiroğlu was abroad at the time the arrest order was issued.

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Mahiroğlu Responds: “I Know What This Is About”

In a swift response posted on social media, Mahiroğlu dismissed the accusations as politically motivated, stating:

“I am being accused based on fabricated testimony from someone I have never met. I know exactly what is being attempted here.”

He emphasized that he has lived abroad for 35 years and maintained that his business dealings are transparent. Since acquiring Halk TV, Mahiroğlu claimed he has been relentlessly targeted with smear campaigns, suggesting that his ownership of a popular opposition news outlet and his commitment to democratic values are the true reasons behind the legal harassment.

“There is a cost to owning the people’s television station in Turkey,” he wrote, adding: “Truth walks slowly, but it eventually overtakes lies. Those who fabricate slanders will be crushed under the weight of their own deceit.”

Broader Clampdown on Independent Media Escalates

The investigation into Mahiroğlu comes amid an intensifying crackdown on Turkey’s few remaining opposition-friendly media platforms. The country’s media watchdog, RTÜK, has given Fatih Altaylı and YouTube channels Flu TV and Sözcü TV just 72 hours to apply for broadcast licenses. Failure to comply will result in immediate access bans. Critics say these demands represent an abuse of regulatory power to suppress dissent.

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RTÜK’s pressure campaign began earlier this year with its demand that Cumhuriyet TV, the online channel of the historic Cumhuriyet newspaper, also apply for a license. RTÜK member Tuncay Keser, affiliated with the opposition CHP, strongly objected to these moves, stating they are “legally unfounded” and that social media platforms fall outside RTÜK’s jurisdiction.

Sözcü TV Blacked Out for 10 Days: “A Blow to Public’s Right to Know”

The censorship reached a peak this week when RTÜK imposed a 10-day broadcasting ban on Sözcü TV, accusing the channel of violating broadcast regulations. Media professionals, opposition politicians, and press freedom advocates condemned the decision as a severe attack on the public’s right to access critical information.

Hasan Öztürk, a prominent journalist, described the blackout as a “serious strike against democracy.” He noted that Sözcü TV had been one of the few outlets reporting fairly on the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who remains imprisoned without an indictment, based solely on anonymous witness allegations.

“Sözcü TV showed the injustice. It pointed out that İmamoğlu had no flight risk and that his detention was unlawful. It became a voice for those who dared to speak out,” Öztürk said.

He condemned RTÜK for turning a blind eye to pro-government outlets that have broadcast unverified claims and criminal conspiracy charts about İmamoğlu on a nightly basis, while punishing opposition media with the harshest available sanctions.

“Who are these rules written for? RTÜK is using its power not to regulate fairly, but to silence dissent,” Öztürk warned. “Freedom of the press is the lifeblood of democracy. If we stay silent today, we may all be silenced tomorrow.”

Chilling Effect on Freedom of Expression

The series of actions against Mahiroğlu, Flu TV, Cumhuriyet TV, and Sözcü TV are part of a growing pattern of state suppression aimed at critical voices in the media. Licensing threats, criminal probes, and broadcast bans are being used not as regulatory tools but as weapons of censorship. Independent journalists now face the dual pressure of criminal liability and institutional strangulation through RTÜK.

Observers point out that these actions are taking place against the backdrop of rising political tension in Turkey. Following the arrests of opposition mayors, ongoing constitutional disputes, and a weakening economy, the government appears increasingly intolerant of public scrutiny.

International Concerns Mount

Turkey’s press freedom ranking has plummeted in recent years. Human rights organizations and press advocacy groups like Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Human Rights Watch have consistently raised alarms over the government’s use of the judiciary and regulatory bodies to silence dissent.

While RTÜK claims its licensing requirements are about ensuring broadcast standards, critics argue that the rules are selectively enforced and aim to dismantle digital platforms that the government cannot fully control.

Conclusion: A Red Line Crossed

The arrest warrant against Cafer Mahiroğlu marks more than a legal development—it signals a deepening campaign to intimidate the last bastions of independent journalism in Turkey. Combined with RTÜK’s punitive actions against Sözcü TV and others, these measures are setting dangerous precedents that threaten the very foundation of media freedom and democratic discourse.

As journalists are criminalized, platforms are blacked out, and voices are silenced, Turkey inches closer to full-blown informational authoritarianism—where only one narrative survives.

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