Two Turkish journalists reporting live from Tel Aviv were detained by Israeli security forces on Tuesday, prompting strong condemnation from Turkish officials who described the move as a clear violation of press freedom.
CNN Türk Correspondent Emrah Çakmak and cameraman Halil Kahraman were taken into custody while covering developments in the Israeli capital, the network said. CNN Türk operates under a licensing agreement with the parent company of CNN International.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Ömer Çelik said the arrests amounted to an attack on the public’s right to information.
“This decision is unacceptable. Journalists must be released immediately,” he wrote on social media, adding that Ankara is following the situation closely.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said Israel was once again targeting journalists in an effort to suppress reporting.
“We are taking the necessary steps to secure their release and are monitoring the matter with great care,” he said.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel also condemned the detentions, stressing that no state has the right to restrict access to information through arbitrary measures.
Mehmet Danış, the head of Türkiye’s media watchdog RTÜK, denounced the detentions as another attempt to block the flow of truthful reporting. He said efforts to secure the journalists’ release were ongoing and that authorities were handling the process with “sensitivity and precision.”
