CBC correspondents detained in Turkey say they're OK
Sasa Petricic and Derek Stoffel taken into custody in Istanbul
CBC News
Posted: Jun 12, 2013 1:12 PM ET
Last Updated: Jun 12, 2013 6:35 PM ET
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CBC reporters Sasa Petricic and Derek Stoffel, who were detained by police in Istanbul, Turkey, amid ongoing protests in the country, both say they are doing fine, and the Turkish ambassador to Canada says they're expected to be released shortly.
CBC News has been in contact with Petricic and Stoffel, and they say they're OK.
"Sasa and I are OK. In police custody but OK," Stoffel tweeted. "Thanks for kind words. Will lose mobile phones very quickly so good night."
"All good so far. Going through the Byzantine (literally) process! Thanks everyone," Petricic tweeted.
CBC News editor-in-chief Jennifer McGuire said the two correspondents have met with Canadian consular officials in Istanbul.
"They are currently speaking to their lawyer in advance of their statements to police," McGuire said.
Turkish Ambassador Tuncy Babali told the CBC he doesn't know why Petricic and Stoffel are being held, but he said they should be let go after they give statements to police.
The ambassador said he learned of their detention after he was contacted by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, who expressed his concern.
Babali said he then contacted officials in Istanbul, and they are doing the utmost to secure their release.
During question period on Wednesday, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs Diane Ablonczy said Canadian officials had met with Petricic and Stoffel after they were detained.
“The Turkish ambassador has assured us that the two journalists are safe and well treated and we'll continue to liaise at the highest levels until this matter is resolved,” she said.
The House of Commons unanimously endorsed a motion put forward by MP Bob Rae condemning the arrest of the two Canadian journalists and calling for their release.
'In police custody but OK'
Earlier in the day, at around 6 p.m. local time Wednesday, Petricic had tweeted one word: "Arrested."
Arrested
— Saša Petricic (@sasapetricic) June 12, 2013
Stoffel's last tweeted message before his detention included a photo of heavy machinery clearing out barricades erected by protesters near Istanbul's Taksim Square.
Taksim Square has become a focal point for recent anti-government protests, which are shaping up as one of the biggest challenges to the 10-year rule of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Demonstrators say Erdogan is becoming more autocratic and trying to impose religious views on the country, charges that he and his allies deny.
As of Monday night, three people had died and about 5,000 people had been treated for exposure to tear gas or other injuries relating to the demonstrations, according to the Turkish Medical Association.
Reporters Without Borders released a statement on Wednesday saying it was “becoming increasingly concerned about the dangerous climate for journalists covering Turkey’s protest movement.”
In January, the rights group described Turkey as “the world’s biggest prison for journalists” and ranked the country 154th in its 2013 Press Freedom Index.
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