, has imposed an administrative fine on Halk TV for airing a phone conversation between journalist Barış Pehlivan and a court-appointed expert witness, a case that has already led to the detention of multiple journalists and executives at the opposition-aligned network, the Diken news website reported on Friday.){kind=link}
Turkey’s media watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), has imposed an administrative fine on Halk TV for airing a phone conversation between journalist Barış Pehlivan and a court-appointed expert witness, a case that has already led to the detention of multiple journalists and executives at the opposition-aligned network, the Diken news website reported on Friday.
The fine was imposed under Article 32(2) of Law No. 6112, which stipulates that media service providers violating broadcasting principles, obligations or prohibitions outlined in the law may be fined between 1 percent and 3 percent of their gross revenue from the previous month, depending on the severity and scope of the violation. RTÜK cited a breach of privacy regulations and ruled that Halk TV’s actions were inconsistent with broadcasting standards and ruled for the highest fine possible, 3 percent of the network’s revenue from last month.
RTÜK Chairman Ebubekir Şahin had previously hinted at sanctions against Halk TV, stating that “necessary action will be taken” following the broadcast. Critics argue that his remarks amounted to prejudgment, calling into question the impartiality of RTÜK’s decision.
Halk TV has denounced the fine, calling it an effort to suppress independent journalism. The network maintains that the broadcast was legitimate and served the public interest, as it allowed the expert witness to respond to allegations of bias in cases involving opposition-run municipalities.
The phone conversation in question was between Pehlivan and an expert witness identified only as S.B., whose legal opinions have played a role in multiple investigations targeting İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The expert witness had been accused by İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu of fabricating evidence against opposition figures. Pehlivan had contacted S.B. to obtain a response, and the conversation was later aired on Halk TV. This triggered a criminal investigation that led to the detention of Pehlivan, anchor Seda Selek, news director Serhan Asker, editor-in-chief Suat Toktaş and program coordinator Kürşad Oğuz.
Toktaş was later arrested by a criminal court, while the other four were released under judicial supervision.
RTÜK ruled that Halk TV violated the principle of respect for privacy as enshrined in Article 8 of Law No. 6112, which prohibits unauthorized disclosure of private conversations. The fine was determined in accordance with the severity of the breach, the medium in which it was broadcast and its potential impact.
Halk TV, however, has argued that the ruling reflects a double standard, pointing out that Beyaz TV, a pro-government channel, also aired portions of the same conversation without facing any penalties. The network further noted that Yeni Şafak, a pro-government newspaper, had published an interview with the same expert witness, yet no legal action was taken against it.
In a statement Halk TV accused RTÜK of selectively targeting opposition media, stating, “If airing this recording is a crime, why is Beyaz TV not being penalized? This is not about privacy — it’s about silencing dissent.”
The RTÜK fine for Halk TV is part of a broader crackdown on opposition media, with other networks also facing financial penalties for their coverage of politically sensitive topics. Among them, NOW TV, TELE1 and Sözcü TV were also fined for their reporting on a deadly hotel fire in Kartalkaya and criticism of the Justice Ministry’s handling of an expert report related to the disaster.
RTÜK also imposed penalties on Sözcü TV over critical remarks about its chairman Şahin.
Turkey remains one of the lowest-ranked countries in press freedom, placing 158th out of 180 nations in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index in 2024.