Turkish diplomat wishes recovery for Anadolu journalist

By Yusuf Ozcan

PARIS (AA) – Turkey’s ambassador to France wished speedy recovery for an Anadolu Agency photojournalist who was injured during clashes between French police and protesters in Paris.

“Anadolu Agency correspondent Mr. [Mustafa] Yalcin is a friend we know very well, appreciate and know about his passion for the work,” Ambassador Ismail Hakki Musa told Anadolu Agency.

“He was following the protests. He was hit in the eye with a piece of grenade when it detonated after thrown by the police,” Musa said, recalling that two more journalists were wounded during the incident.

Yalcin was wounded Thursday when a plastic hand grenade fired by police exploded near himself and its pieces pierced his helmet, breaking its glass and leading to serious injury to his left eye.

Musa said any official statement has yet to be made on the issue by France.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry issued a written statement on the issue but has not demanded anything yet, Musa said, adding that they are waiting for a doctor report to evaluate the seriousness of Yalcin’s situation.

The diplomat also conveyed well wishes to Anadolu Agency.

- Protests in France

Yalcin was covering the clashes between French police and demonstrators against controversial plans for pension reforms when he was injured. Though he underwent a six-hour-long operation, Yalcin still faces the risk of permanent loss of eyesight.

On Friday, Senol Kazanci, chairman of the board and director general of Anadolu Agency, called on French authorities to investigate Yalcin's injury, saying the news agency would follow the process.

France’s Interior Ministry said 806,000 people took part in this week’s protests, while labor unions put the number at nearly 1.5 million.

Service strikes impacted all public transport systems, according to local media reports.

Parisian public transport workers announced plans to continue striking through Monday.

* Writing by Sena Guler