Turkish authorities have deported BBC journalist Mark Lowen after holding him in detention for 17 hours, the broadcaster said on Thursday. His arrest came amid a crackdown on protests triggered by the jailing of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key opposition figure seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s main political rival.
Lowen had been in İstanbul covering the ongoing demonstrations when he was taken from his hotel on Wednesday and detained overnight. On Thursday morning, he was handed a deportation notice citing him as a “threat to public order”, according to the BBC.
“To be detained and deported from the country where I previously lived for five years and for which I have such affection has been extremely distressing,” Lowen said in a statement. “Press freedom and impartial reporting are fundamental to any democracy.”
BBC’s CEO of News Deborah Turness condemned the move, calling it “extremely troubling”. She added, “Mark is a very experienced correspondent with a deep knowledge of Turkey, and no journalist should face this kind of treatment simply for doing their job.” The broadcaster vowed to raise the issue with Turkish authorities and to continue reporting on events in the country.
Lowen’s expulsion is part of a wider crackdown on media and dissenting voices as protests against İmamoğlu’s imprisonment intensify. More than 1,400 demonstrators have been detained nationwide, and Turkey’s media watchdog, RTÜK, has imposed penalties on TV channels covering the unrest. Several journalists, including an AFP photojournalist and multiple Turkish reporters, were arrested but later released.
İmamoğlu, a prominent figure in the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained last week on corruption charges he denies. His supporters claim the case is politically motivated, aimed at sidelining him ahead of the 2028 presidential election, in which he is the opposition’s chosen candidate.
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The protests, which began with nightly demonstrations, have drawn thousands onto the streets across Turkey. While the justice ministry insists the judiciary is independent, critics accuse the government of suppressing political opposition. Erdoğan has dismissed the protests as “evil” and accused the opposition of “disturbing the peace”.
With demonstrations continuing, the CHP has announced a major rally in Istanbul on Saturday, signalling further tensions in an already volatile political landscape.
