Turkish parties condemn Cairo raid on Anadolu Agency

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's political parties on Thursday reacted to detention of Anadolu Agency employees by the Egyptian police in a raid on the agency's Cairo office.

"Egyptian government is not trustworthy and it doesn't act in accordance with law," Ozgur Ozel, the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) deputy group chair, told reporters in the parliament.

Ozel noted that Turkey could not accept Egypt's action.

On Tuesday, Egyptian police raided the Cairo office of Anadolu Agency and since the whereabouts of four detainees, which include one Turkish citizen, remain unknown.

Turkey strongly condemned the raid and called for the immediate release of the detained employees.

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's deputy group chair also condemned the detention.

"Freedom of press cannot be violated in the world, even in a war zone." Bulent Turan told lawmakers in the parliament.

"I hope the Anadolu Agency employees will be immediately released. We are closely following the issue. I hope the employees are released as soon as possible," he added.

In a statement, Anadolu Agency said Egyptian police had shut down security cameras and cut the internet during the raid on Tuesday evening.

"Security forces searched the office until the morning hours, confiscated employees' passports, mobile phones and computers while prevented them from contacting outside," it added.

The agency called on Egyptian authorities to immediately release its employees.

The Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) deputy group chair described the detention as "hijacking."

"This incident which created anxiety in the world is one of the most important examples of lawlessness of putschist [Abdel Fattah] al-Sisi's administration," Levent Bulbul said.

Musavat Dervisoglu, the opposition Good (IYI) Party's deputy group chair, also condemned the detention.