Critical Syrian columnist Hüsnü Mahalli, who was detained on Tuesday night after pro-government media targeted him for his stance on the Syrian war, was taken to the emergency ward of a hospital in İstanbul on Wednesday due to deteriorating health in police custody.
According to the Cumhuriyet daily, Mahalli was taken to the Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty Hospital on Wednesday evening, where he was treated by neurologists.
On Tuesday, police raided the İstanbul home of Mahalli, who currently writes for the Yurt daily. Main opposition deputy Barış Yarkadaş announced Mahalli’s detention on Twitter, saying that the Syrian columnist is accused of humiliating the Republic of Turkey and insulting its statesmen.
Erkan Tan, a host for the staunchly pro-government A Haber TV, recently targeted Mahalli, calling him “the dog who belongs to a murderer,” in reference to embattled Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.