Turkish court frees AFP journalist held while covering protests, agency says

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ANKARA (Reuters) – A Turkish court on Thursday freed Agence France-Presse journalist Yasin Akgul, detained this week while covering mass protests over the jailing of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the news agency said.

The detention and subsequent arrest on Sunday over graft charges of Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival, triggered the largest nationwide anti-government demonstrations in over a decade and led to widespread arrests.

On Tuesday, a court jailed seven journalists pending trial, including AFP’s Akgul, for attending illegal meetings and marches, and “refusing to disperse despite warning during a demonstration,” a court document seen by Reuters showed.

Broadcaster NTV said the court freed the six other journalists who were held as well, all of them local.

Erdogan has dismissed the protests as a “show” and warned of legal consequences against those who take part, while the main opposition CHP has called for protests to continue and said it would ramp up pressure on the government.

The opposition, Western countries and rights groups have said the case against Imamoglu, who leads Erdogan in some polls, was a politicised move to remove a potential electoral threat to Erdogan.

The government denies any influence over the judiciary and says courts are independent.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Daren Butler and Bernadette Baum)