Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday voiced US “concerns” to Turkey’s foreign minister over arrests and large protests in the country, Agence France-Presse reported, citing an American official.
“The Secretary expressed concerns regarding recent arrests and protests in Türkiye,” a State Department spokeswoman said in a statement released after the meeting between Rubio and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Washington in which the two also discussed cooperation on security and trade.
Fidan traveled to Washington on Tuesday for a two-day official visit to meet with Rubio and other officials.
His visit came amid unrest and ongoing protests in Turkey over the recent arrest of İstanbul’s popular mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the main political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The arrest has triggered the largest anti-government demonstrations in over a decade.
Nearly 1,500 people have been detained by police, while seven journalists covering the protests were arrested on Tuesday, a development that has alarmed rights groups.