European news agencies urge Egypt to free Anadolu Agency staff

By Havva Kara Aydin

ANKARA (AA) - The European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) Thursday called on Egypt to release Anadolu Agency employees detained in a raid on their office in Cairo.

“EANA Board considers that the Egyptian authorities should immediately release the detained journalists and inform the international public on what were the legal grounds of their initial arrest,” the alliance said in a statement.

“EANA stands with its member, Anadolu Agency and its journalists,” it added.

The statement also underlined that the raid was against the fundamental values of democracy and free journalism.

“Therefore, moving against these values is an extremely condemnable course of action,” it said.

Egyptian police raided the Cairo office of Anadolu Agency late Tuesday and detained four employees.

The staff members, including one Turkish citizen, were taken to an unknown location.

Turkey strongly condemned the move and called for their immediate release.