BBC reporter arrested and deported from Turkey

BBC correspondent Mark Lowen was deported from Turkey after arrest in Istanbul on Wednesday, BBC reported.

Lowen was in Turkey for several days to report the current protests that were arrested by Istanbul’s Imomoglu Screens last week.

Imomoglu, who is in prison on charges of corruption, which he denies, is regarded as the main political competitor of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In the 2028 elections he was elected presidential candidate.

A statement issued on Thursday, the BBC states: “This morning (March 27), Turkish authorities deported BBC News correspondent Mark Lowen from Istanbul, taking him from the hotel the day before and detained it for 17 hours.”

On Thursday morning, he was presented with a written message that he was deported for “being a threat to public order,” the statement said.

Mark Lowen said: “To be detained and deported from a country where I used to live for five years, and for which I have such commitment to be very unpleasant. Press freedom and impartial reporting are of the main importance for any democracy.”

BBC CEO BBC News Deborah Turness added: “This is an extremely disturbing incident and we will make submission to the Turkish authorities.

“Mark is a very experienced correspondent who has deeply recognized Turkey, and no journalist should face such treatment simply for doing his work. We will continue to report on the events in Turkey.”

Thousands of people across Turkey were in protests, which still watched more than 1,400 people.

The participants of the rally say that Imomaglu’s arrest is politically motivated, but the Ministry of Justice insists on his judicial independence.

President Erdogan called the demonstration “evil” and accused the opposition of “violations of peace”.

Several journalists were also arrested, including a photo correspondent from the French agency France Presse and several Turkish journalists. Many were reportedly released on Thursday morning.

Night protests stopped, but the main opposition party of Turkey, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), plans to rally in Istanbul on Saturday.