The BBC has confirmed that its reporter Mark Lowen has been expelled from Turkey. Lowen was detained by police from his hotel earlier this week, where he spent 17 hours in custody.

Lowen, a seasoned reporter for the BBC, was in Istanbul to cover the ongoing protests sparked by the detention of Istanbul’s opposition mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu. The protests began after İmamoğlu’s arrest on charges linked to allegations of corruption, which many critics of the government believe is politically motivated. İmamoğlu is from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), a major opposition party in Turkey, and his arrest has sparked a wave of anti-government demonstrations.

On March 27th, Lowen was officially informed that he was considered a “public threat” and was ordered to leave the country. In his statement, Lowen expressed his shock and sadness, especially as he had previously lived in Turkey for five years and had a deep affection for the country. He emphasized the importance of press freedom, stating, “Press freedom and impartial journalism are fundamental to any democracy.”

The BBC’s response came swiftly. Deborah Turness, the CEO of BBC News, condemned the expulsion,........

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