Özgür Gün TV taken off air amid increasing pressure against media

Transmission of Amed-based Özgür Gün TV has been suspended by Turkish satellite provider TÜRKSAT at 24:00 last night. The suspension came without any notification to the channel's side.

Transmission of Amed-based Özgür Gün TV has been suspended by Turkish satellite provider TÜRKSAT at 24:00 last night. The suspension came without any notification to the channel's side.

Özgür Gün TV Executive Board Member Barış Barıştıran described the suspension as another blow inflicted on press freedom, noting that the satellite provider has long been subject to pressure from RTÜK (Turkish Supreme Board of Radio and Television) for the suspension of their transmission.

Drawing attention to the growing pressure against opponent media in Turkey, Barıştıran said this most recent action against Özgür Gün TV cannot be considered independent from this policy of repression. He recalled that their TV channel had already received repeated fines for a while.

Barıştıran stated that they will take legal actions against the suspension once they have been notified about the reason for the interruption in the satellite broadcast of the TV channel.

Barıştıran called on national and international media outlets, and democratic circles to raise their voice against the pressures targeting free press.