Turkey’s Presidential Communications Directorate has denied claims that the deportation of BBC reporter Mark Lowen was related to his coverage of ongoing protests over the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, saying instead that it was due to his lack of accreditation to work as a journalist in Turkey.
Lowen was deported from Turkey on Thursday after being detained in İstanbul on Wednesday on accusations that he “posed a threat to public order.”
He had been in Turkey for several days to report on ongoing protests that were sparked by the detention and subsequent arrest of İmamoğlu.
“It is disinformation to associate the deportation of BBC News reporter Mark Lowen with ‘engaging in journalism and reporting on protests,’” the directorate said in a statement later on Thursday.
The directorate said foreign press members in Turkey are required to obtain either permanent or temporary accreditation under the country’s Press Card Regulation, adding that administrative measures are applied to journalists who enter the country without the proper accreditation and engage in professional activities.
“British citizen and BBC employee Mark Lowen came to İstanbul and engaged in journalistic activities without notifying our office or applying for accreditation,” the statement said. “As a result, an administrative process was initiated against him.”
Lowen expressed regret for his deportation in a post on X, saying, “To be detained and deported from the country where I previously lived for five years and for which I have such affection has been extremely distressing. Press freedom and impartial reporting are fundamental to any democracy.”
BBC CEO of News Deborah Turness described the journalist’s deportation as “extremely troubling,” saying the corporation will be making representations to the Turkish authorities.
Thousands of people across Turkey have turned out for protests that have so far seen more than 1,800 people detained.
The protesters say İmamoğlu’s arrest is politically motivated, but the justice ministry insists on its judicial independence.
President Erdoğan has labelled the demonstrations “street terror” and blamed the opposition for “disturbing the peace.”
Several journalists have also been arrested, including a photojournalist from French news agency Agence France Presse and a number of Turkish reporters. Many were released on Thursday morning.