Turkey’s broadcasting watchdog has imposed a 10-day broadcast ban on Sözcü TV and imposed sanctions on three other opposition-aligned stations over their coverage of mass protests following the detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, according to officials and local media, Turkish Minute reports.

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) announced the sanctions after a meeting on Wednesday, handing Sözcü TV one of the harshest penalties in its history. The decision requires the network to go dark for 10 days, with only a black screen displaying RTÜK’s ruling allowed to appear during that period.

RTÜK board member İlhan Taşçı, who represents the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said the punishment stemmed from the channel’s live broadcasts and commentary on demonstrations in İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir, which were accused of “inciting hatred and hostility among the public.”

Taşçı said the decision was made by majority vote and described the penalty as “one step before license revocation.” If Sözcü TV is found in violation of the same broadcasting regulation again, its license may be canceled.

Additional penalties were issued against Halk TV and Tele 1, each receiving a five-episode suspension for specific programs and fines of up to 5 percent of their monthly advertising revenue. RTÜK claimed that both stations aired footage of a speech by CHP leader Özgür Özel that included criticism of government officials and a call for boycott, which the council argued encouraged public division.

NOW TV was fined 2 percent of its gross revenue from the previous month for commentary during its Orta Sayfa program, where panelists alleged political interference in the legal process against İmamoğlu.

RTÜK also fined Halk TV and Tele 1 separately for critical comments made about RTÜK President Ebubekir Şahin and government allies, while ignoring complaints filed against state broadcaster TRT Haber and pro-government A Haber, which were accused of misleading coverage to smear the protesters as violent.

In addition RTÜK signaled it may seek access bans for digital platforms, including YouTube channels of Flu TV and that of journalist Fatih Altaylı, unless they apply for broadcasting licenses within 72 hours, according to reports in the BirGün daily.

The crackdown comes as tens of thousands continue to protest İmamoğlu’s detention and the broader political climate in Turkey. RTÜK had reportedly issued verbal instructions to television outlets last weekend to halt live broadcasts of the protests — orders some channels refused to follow without a written directive.

Following public reporting on this, the government’s Disinformation Combat Center (DMM) denied the existence of any such censorship, but did not address the substance of the allegations raised by media outlets.

Halk TV owner Cafer Mahiroğlu called the latest sanctions “the final stop before license cancellation,” accusing RTÜK of fulfilling “days-long threats” against critical media.