MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE
Religious sect interference against Halk TV crew
RELATED PERSON OR INSTITUTION
Halk TV
CITY
İzmir
YEAR OF INTERFERENCE
2024
TYPE OF STATEMENT
Political
MEDIUM
Television
THE TITLE OF WHOSE RIGHT IS INTERFERED
Media Outlet
RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Right to Impart Information and Ideas
TYPE OF INTERFERENCE
Third-Party Interference
Physical Interference


10 October 2025

In İzmir’s Karabağlar district, Halk TV crew — reporter Yağmur Beril Varol, cameraman Şahin Karaşahin, and driver Erkan Aydın — faced physical and verbal obstruction by administrators of an illegally constructed Quran course building. The facility was reportedly affiliated with the İsmailağa religious community. Three men forcibly entered the press vehicle, demanded deletion of the recorded footage, and attempted to block the coverage, saying “Why are you filming, do you have the right to do this?” and “If you are press, what are you doing here?”