BBC Journalist Mark Lowen Deported from Turkey Amid Protests

Following his arrest while reporting on political protests, BBC correspondent Mark Lowen has been deported from Turkey. The incident raises concerns over press freedom as protests against Ibrahim Imamoglu's arrest continue nationwide.

In a concerning development for press freedom, BBC correspondent Mark Lowen has been deported from Turkey after his arrest in Istanbul. This incident occurred while he was covering protests ignited by the recent arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who has been accused of corruption—a charge he denies.

Imamoglu, seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's primary political opponent, has been designated by his party as a candidate for the presidential election in 2028. The BBC stated that Lowen was taken from his hotel on March 26 and held for 17 hours before being served a notice of deportation for allegedly "being a threat to public order."

In his statement about the experience, Lowen remarked, "To be detained and deported from the country where I previously lived for five years, which I cherish, has been extremely distressing. Press freedom and impartial reporting are fundamental to any democracy."

Deborah Turness, CEO of BBC News, expressed serious concerns regarding the incident: "This is an extremely troubling situation and we will be making representations to the Turkish authorities. Mark, with his wealth of experience and understanding of Turkey, should never have faced such treatment simply for performing his duties as a journalist."

Emma Sinclair-Webb, Turkey director for Human Rights Watch, condemned the deportation of Lowen as harmful to international media freedom. "This sends a message that the Turkish government will not tolerate coverage of stories it wishes to suppress," she stated.

The protests that led to Lowen’s deportation have attracted thousands of participants across the country, resulting in over 1,400 detentions. While protestors claim that Imamoglu's arrest is politically charged, government officials assert the independence of Turkey's judiciary. Following President Erdogan's comments condemning the demonstrations as "evil," the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), plans to hold a major rally in Istanbul on Saturday despite the recent tensions and nightly protests subsiding.