Opposition lawmakers attended a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday with their eyes blindfolded and mouths taped shut. The silent protest targeted the government seizure of Halk TV, the country’s most-watched news channel.
During a budget and planning committee meeting, members of the main opposition Yeni Parti covered their eyes with black ribbons and sealed their lips with black tape.
Police executed a pre-dawn raid on the Istanbul headquarters of Halk TV. Officers halted all broadcasts during the operation and installed a government-appointed administrator to run the network.
The raid is the latest intervention against media outlets holding critical stances toward the government. Criticism emerged swiftly from opposition politicians and rights organizations.
Cafer Mahiroglu, the chairman of Halk TV, condemned the official actions and described the incident publicly as a dark day for the nation.
Ali Mahir Basarir, a lawmaker from Yeni Parti, spoke to reporters outside the sealed headquarters. He called the intervention a shameful move designed to suppress opposing voices.
Basarir pointed out that only a handful of independent broadcasters remain in the country. These networks tell the truth and report events accurately without bias.
He said independent outlets act as a check on power. A functioning democracy requires these remaining channels to operate freely for all citizens.
The government takeover has strained political relations. Opposition figures continue to rally around the network as the appointed administrator takes control of daily operations.
