Thousands of people, including journalists, demonstrated in ten Turkish cities after journalist associations and the opposition New Party called for protests over censorship, pressure on journalists and the government takeover of several television channels. Protesters chanted that the free press could not be censored. Organizers said at least five transmitters had been taken over in the past 20 months, although the channels and reasons differed. Police were present in large numbers, and some participants said a climate of fear was discouraging people from attending.

The demonstrations followed a police raid on the opposition channel Halk TV, which was placed under the management of an appointed director and has since mainly broadcast repeats. Its account on X was blocked and it had not uploaded new YouTube videos for three days. Prosecutors suspect the network’s president of bribery, money laundering and fraud, while the opposition said the action was politically motivated and aimed at silencing criticism. Participants also cited the imprisonment of a journalist and pressure linked to coverage of a major stock-market scandal. The demonstrations included retired journalists, who said they were supporting younger colleagues and the future of the press.