Journalists Altıntaş and Çağlak were taken into custody on Wednesday while covering the consequences of the earthquake in Birecik, in Urfa. They were released after giving their statement and had their press cards confiscated.
Mezopotamya Agency (MA) journalist Mahmut Altıntaş and JINNEWS journalist Sema Çağlak were taken into custody on Wednesday while covering the consequences of the earthquake in Birecik (Bêrecûk), in Urfa (Riha). The journalists were detained by police who questioned their journalist's identity. The two reporters were getting information about the rescue work going on in a collapsed building where 21 dead people had been found.
The police detained the journalists on the grounds that they did not have a turquoise card.
After getting a health report at the district state hospital, the two journalists were taken to Birecik Police station for questioning.
The journalists were asked questions such as "Why did you come to Birecik?", "Who gave you the journalist card?" Altıntaş and Çağlak were eventually released but their press cards were confiscated.
