Turkish pro-opposition broadcaster Halk TV said on Wednesday that police had raided its office in Istanbul and that a government trustee ​had been appointed to run the channel, in the latest blow ‌to media freedom in the country, Reuters reports.

"Hundreds of police have entered the building. Entry into the Halk TV building is not being permitted while a search is being ​conducted inside," the broadcaster said in a story on its website.

The ​channel's live broadcast was cut off at 6:30 a.m., ⁠after which pre-recorded material began airing.

Deniz Bayramoglu, a programmer at Halk ​TV, said on X that Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktas had tried to argue with ​the head of the trustee delegation to continue the broadcast but that this was not permitted.

There was no immediate comment from authorities on the matter. It was not ​immediately clear why police had raided the Halk TV offices or ​appointed a trustee.

Rights groups and Western countries have criticized the government of President Tayyip Erdogan for ‌its ⁠deteriorating human rights record and crackdown on press freedom in recent years as it establishes tighter control over mainstream media. Access bans, throttling, fines, and other restrictions have been imposed on several opposition or independent outlets.

Ozgur Ozel, ​chairman of the ​main opposition New Party, ⁠condemned the move and said this was an attempt by the government to prevent people from accessing news.
"Dawn ​raid on a television channel, appointing a trustee — only ​dictators would ⁠do such a thing," Ozel said on X.

"Those who appoint trustees to municipalities and trample the people's will, have now appointed a trustee to Halk ⁠TV, watched ​by millions. Because THEY ARE IMPOTENT AND ​COWARDS!" he added, referring to the ousting of elected mayors as part of a legal crackdown ​on the opposition.