Anadolu Agency urges global media voice against Egypt's raid

By Dilara Hamit

ANKARA (AA) - Anadolu Agency Thursday urged international media organization to voice against violation of human rights and to express support for press freedom in the wake of Egypt’s raid on Cairo bureau of Turkey’s news agency.

On Tuesday, Egyptian police raided Cairo office of Anadolu Agency and detained four staff members, taking them to an unknown location.

Anadolu Agency called the raid and detention of its journalists “unacceptable” and urged for the immediate release of them.

“We strongly condemn Egypt’s police raid to Anadolu Agency Cairo office. We call on national and international press organizations … to react and take action on this violation of both human rights and press freedom,” Anadolu Agency said in a letter sent to various global media organizations.

Markus Spillmann, president of International Press Institute (IPI), Cho Sung-boo, Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) president, Fakhreddine Beldi, president of Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN), Armela Krasniqi, head of Association of the Balkan News Agencies - Southeast Europe (ABNA-SE), Peter Kropsch, head of European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA), Maxim Minchev, president of News Agencies World Congress (NAWC) and Kathleen Carroll, president of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) were the recipients of the letter.

Egyptian authorities have not disclosed the reason of the raid despite the request of Anadolu Agency lawyer, the letter noted.