Turkish journalist detained in Saudi released

ANKARA

Saudi authorities have released Turkish journalist Kurtuluş Demirbaş, diplomatic sources said on July 11.

Demirbaş was freed from a detention center in Taif following diplomatic efforts by Turkish authorities, the sources told local media.

The reason for his detention remains unclear.

His condition was "under close observation" by the Turkish consulate general in Jeddah, with regular updates provided to his family.

Demirbaş went unheard for nearly a week upon traveling to Saudi Arabia to cover an under-19 football tournament.

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry was alerted to his detention on July 8 and intervened to secure his release.

"I have been in detention since July 5 due to a small misunderstanding," the journalist said in a brief video shared before his return to Türkiye. "As of now, this misunderstanding has been cleared up with the intervention of the authorities of the glorious Turkish state."