Turkish journalist detained in Cairo to be released soon, Deputy PM says

ANKARA

Anti-Mursi protesters and riot police officers gather outside al-Fath mosque at Ramses Square in Cairo August 17, 2013. REUTERS Photo

Turkish journalist Metin Turan, a TRT correspondent who was detained this weekend at Cairo’s el-Fath Mosque, is expected to be released late today, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has said.

Turan will be released shortly after being questioned by a regional prosecutor, as he has committed no crime, Arınç said.

Officials from the Turkish Embassy in Cairo have conducted a lengthy meeting with Metin Turan, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Gümrükçü announced on Aug. 19.

In a message posted on his Twitter account on Aug. 19, Gümrükçü said Turan was safe and sound amid intense efforts to secure his release.

Gümrükçü said Turan was in good health after being taken into custody during an intervention by Egypt’s security forces against protesters who were trapped in el-Fath Mosque.

“Our vigorous efforts for journalist Metin Turan, who was taken into custody, have been going on since the first day. Yesterday [Aug. 18], our embassy had a three-hour meeting with him. He is in good health. Every effort is being made for his release,” Gümrükçü wrote.

“Our embassy has both continued with the efforts for the release of Metin Turan and also demanded to find his whereabouts and to have a meeting with him. Finally yesterday, a three-hour meeting was arranged with him. On this occasion, his interrogation was also witnessed. As of today [Aug. 19], the case will be followed closely again, and we hope that he will be released as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said in separate remarks to Anadolu Agency.

Gümrükçü also said several meetings had been conducted for the release of Turan with senior officials from the Egyptian interior, foreign and information ministries.

Turan was at the scene for journalistic purposes and thus must be released soon, Turkish officials told their Egyptian counterparts, Gümrükçü said.

He also said they were informed by Egyptian authorities that there was a delay in his release because everybody exiting the mosque is being interrogated one by one, starting with young people and women.