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Pro-opposition broadcaster Sozcu TV went off-air at midnight on July 9 after Türkiye’s media regulator RTUK enforced a 10-day suspension over its coverage of protests following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu over corruption charges.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) suspended Sozcu TV at its March 27 meeting, following the channel's live broadcasts from Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.
Imamoglu was arrested on corruption charges and removed from office by the Interior Ministry on March 23, the same day he was declared the main opposition candidate of the Republican People's Party (CHP) for the presidency.
Although the penalty was formally notified to Sozcu TV on July 3, a court rejected the station’s appeal to halt execution. Sozcu TV and its YouTube stream both went dark at midnight.
The Ankara 7th Administrative Court ruled on July 4 to lift the stay of execution decision. The broadcast was suspended in the early hours of July 9.
Sozcu's website published a statement regarding RTUK's decision to penalize Sozcu TV for broadcasting Imamoglu's protests.
The statement said, "Unprecedented censorship in our history has begun to be implemented. While Türkiye is going through a difficult democracy test, Sozcu Media Group, the largest independent organization of the mainstream media, is also being tried to be silenced with penalties."
Sozcu TV General Broadcast Director Ozgur Cakmakci explained the penalty system before the channel went off air.
"RTUK Law Article 8 has clauses. We previously received a five-day broadcast suspension decision from clause B.; This is the second one. When you receive the second penalty from the same clause, the broadcast is suspended for 10 days. If we receive another penalty from the same clause, then it can go to license cancellation," Cakmakci said.
Article 8, clause B of the RTUK Law states that radio and television broadcasts cannot incite society to hatred and hostility by considering differences of race, language, religion, gender, class, region and sect.
RTUK Chairman Ebubekir Sahin posted on X that Sozcu TV, Halk TV and Tele1 were penalized due to ongoing broadcast violations despite warnings.
"In recent days, some misleading and disinformation-containing statements that have been attempted to be reflected in public opinion should not be given credence."
"The 10-day broadcast suspension imposed on Sozcu TV and Halk TV, as well as the five-time program suspension penalty given to Tele1, have been enforced as a result of serious and deliberate broadcast violations that continued despite long-standing constructive warnings," Shahin said.
Halk TV, Now TV and Tele1 channels received various penalties for broadcasting protest demonstrations after Ekrem Imamoglu's arrest.
1 min read
Ankara 25th Administrative Court ruled on May 30 to suspension the execution of regarding the broadcast suspension penalty. Sozcu TV's broadcast was expected to be suspended for 10 days on May 31.
Ankara 7th Administrative Court lifted the stay of execution decision. Sozcu TV's broadcast stopped in the first minutes of July 9.
Before going off air, Sozcu TV employees in the studio applauded the court decision.
2 min read
