RTÜK’s crackdown on dissenting media continues, with a staggering 52 fines issued to opposition TV stations in 2025.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), Turkey’s primary broadcasting regulator, has taken a hard stance against opposition television channels, imposing 52 penalties in 2025, while pro-government outlets were left untouched. The total fines amount to 92,790,898 lira, equivalent to approximately $2.16 million. Among the hardest hit was SZC TV, which faced 16 fines, closely followed by TELE1, which received 15 fines.
Additionally, TELE1 was placed under government trusteeship on October 24, coinciding with the detention and subsequent arrest of its editor-in-chief, Merdan Yanardağ. Yanardağ is facing accusations of espionage linked to a broader investigation targeting jailed İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a significant political adversary to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Following the appointment of trustees, TELE1 no longer accrued fines.
In total, opposition networks endured 29 broadcasting suspensions in addition to the fines, with program interruptions affecting three channels: Halk TV (10 days), SZC TV (10 days), and TELE1 (5 days). Further illustrating the regulator’s bias, Taşçı noted that RTÜK even penalized a broadcaster for airing a live rally led by CHP leader Özgür Özel, who criticized Erdoğan in a speech that featured the subtitle “Coup leader Erdoğan.”
Dr. Necdet İpekyüz, another RTÜK board member, indicated that a staggering 87 percent of the sanctions were directed at just five stations known for their critical stance towards the government. The cited reasons for the penalties generally revolved around violations of national and moral values, including content deemed demeaning or defamatory. TELE1, for instance, received nine fines under these categories, while both Halk TV and SZC TV each faced six.
Digital platforms weren’t exempt either, experiencing ten sanctions for content removals and amassing fines totaling 2,888,844 lira, or roughly $68,000. The composition of RTÜK’s board is heavily influenced by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), resulting in a significant imbalance that critics say undermines media freedom.
Press freedom organizations have denounced RTÜK for its systematic censorship of independent media, stifling dissent and maintaining a pro-government narrative. According to a report from Expression Interrupted, there are currently 29 journalists imprisoned in Turkey. The deteriorating state of media freedom is starkly reflected in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, which placed Turkey at 159th out of 180 countries.