In response to detention, CEO of Agence France-Presse, Fabrice Fries, sent a letter to the Turkish presidency requesting the rapid release of Yasin Akgül, highlighting the importance of press freedom
A Turkish judge ordered the temporary arrest of a photographer from a news agency, accused of participating in an illegal demonstration. During the hearing, journalist Yasin Akgül stated that he was just covering the protest in support of Ekrem İmamoğlu, mayor of Istanbul and main opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was recently arrested. In response to detention, CEO of (AFP), Fabrice Fries, sent a letter to the Turkish presidency requesting the photographer’s rapid release, highlighting the importance of press freedom.
The situation caught the attention of international organizations, such as the NGO Reporters Without Borders in Türkiye, which denounced the arrests of journalists while performing their functions. The photographer was arrested at his home on Monday, as part of an operation that resulted in the arrest of 10 journalists in Istanbul and Esmirna, the third largest city in the country.
On Tuesday (26), an Istanbul prosecutor asked for the arrest of seven of these journalists, intensifying concerns about the freedom of the press in Türkiye. The UN also expressed concern for mass arrests in Türkiye, where more than 1,000 people were arrested during this week’s protests, including several journalists.
