Turkish journalist detained in Egypt pleads for help

ISTANBUL

Photo posted by Metin Turan on Twitter Aug 16.

Turkish journalist Metin Turan, a TRT correspondent who was detained during protests in August at Cairo’s el-Fath Mosque, has pleaded for help from Turkish authorities in a series of messages from his Twitter account.

“Dear friends, I thank all who are praying for me. I’m reaching you via a relative who has come from Turkey. I’m well and in good health. Prison conditions are very bad,” he wrote.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Turan was at the mosque for journalistic purposes and must thus be promptly released.

“I’ve been in prison for 44 days and I’m still being held captive. Thirty-six people lie on concrete in a 40-square-meter room. There are two toilets but no shower,” he wrote.

“Mr. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, there will be a hunger strike if the detention period is extended and things could happen in the prison. Save me from here before it turns into a bloodbath. Doesn’t Turkey have allies? They can contact the United Arab Emirates to free me,” he said.