The European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA), of which Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) is a member, unequivocally condemned the recent detention of Agence France-Presse (AFP) photojournalist Yasin Akgül by Turkish authorities in a statement released on Wednesday.

"This action represents a blatant infringement on press freedom and the fundamental rights of journalists to perform their duties without fear of persecution," it said.

As EANA noted, Akgül was arrested on Tuesday on orders of an Istanbul court for "taking part in illegal rallies and marches and failing to disperse despite warnings." He was arrested during pre-dawn raids at his residence.

"The European Alliance of News Agencies stands in solidarity with our member, AFP, and with all journalists facing unjust persecution for doing their job. We call upon the Turkish authorities to immediately release Yasin Akgül and all detained journalists and to uphold the principles of press freedom and the rights of journalists to report without intimidation," the organization urged.

It added that all journalists should be able to work in Türkiye without fear of persecution or threats to their freedom. "The targeting of journalists not only suppresses the dissemination of truth but also undermines the public's right to be informed," it said.