BBC journalist Mark Lowen was deported from Turkey after his arrest in Istanbul on Wednesday, the BBC informed. Lowen had spent several days in Turkey to cover ongoing protests in response to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu last week. Imamoglu, who is held in jail on corruption charges he denies, is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main opposition. The BBC released a statement on Thursday saying Lowen was taken from his hotel and detained for 17 hours before being deported for being a “threat to public order.” Lowen expressed distress over the incident, emphasizing the importance of press freedom and impartial reporting in a democracy. The BBC’s CEO of News Deborah Turness also denounced the incident and pledged to continue reporting on Turkey impartially. Across Turkey, protests have led to over 1,400 detentions as protesters argue that Imamoglu’s arrest is politically motivated. Erdogan accused the opposition of “disturbing the peace,” and several journalists, including those from Agence France Presse and Turkish media, have also been arrested. While nightly protests have paused, Turkey’s Republican People’s Party plans a rally in Istanbul on Saturday.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly34rg5ee5o