ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — A television news station close to Turkey’s main Opposition party has been ordered to suspend broadcasts for 10 days for allegedly “inciting hatred”, authorities said Thursday, a move condemned by free-press watchdogs.

The Turkish media regulator, RTUK, ruled that Halk TV had violated regulations, notably when a guest on a programme said Turkey “is not becoming more religious, but more sectarian”.

The regulator’s board said that amounted to “inciting hatred and hostility” — a ruling condemned by Halk TV and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The station is seen as close to the opposition CHP party, which has faced mounting pressure under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, including the jailing of his top adversary, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a case that has sparked massive protests.

The media regulator “takes pleasure in arbitrarily and disproportionately sanctioning all debate or criticism, fuelled by the political and judicial repression targeting the CHP”, said Erol Onderoglu of Reporters Without Borders.

In March, the regulatory body imposed the same punishment on another channel close to the Opposition, Sozcu TV, but then stayed its ruling before it took effect.

Turkey ranks 159th out of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index.

The CHP, which scored big wins in local elections last year, has faced a flurry of investigations as Turkey heads for presidential elections in 2028 in which Imamoglu has emerged as Erdogan’s top rival.