Four Russian news agency journalists released in Turkey
Russia’s state-owned Sputnik news agency says four of its journalists in Turkey have been released after questioning in connection with attacks on some of the journalists’ residences.
Sputnik, which operates news websites in about 30 languages, said angry mobs tried to break into the apartments of three staffers in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Saturday night, threatening violence and demanding they stop their work. Sputnik said the assailants accused the journalists, who are Turkish citizens, of being Russian spies.
Sputnik said the journalists went to the police to report the attacks and the agency lost contact with them. Later, it said, investigators raided Sputnik’s office and detained the bureau’s editor-in-chief.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the matter with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Sunday. Sputnik said the journalists were released hours later.
Turkish authorities have not commented on the matter.
