All Anadolu Agency staffer released after detention in Egypt

All Anadolu Agency staffer released after detention in Egypt

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency
All Anadolu Agency staffer released after detention in Egypt

All of Anadolu Agency staffers, who were detained by Egyptian police earlier this week, were released, said the agency head on Jan. 19.

“All our staff members, detained in Egypt on Jan. 14 have been released,” Anadolu Agency Director-General Şenol Kazancı said.

On Jan. 14 evening, Egyptian police raided the Cairo office of Anadolu Agency and detained four employees.

Hilmi Balcı, one of four detained in Egypt, was released on Jan. 16 and traveled back to Turkey.

Kazancı said three Egyptian citizens of Anadolu Agency staff were released on Jan. 19 for some $600 bail on each.

Turkey and the international community had condemned the raid and called for the immediate release of the staffers.

Turkey's political relations with Egypt have remained rocky since 2013 when Mohamed Morsi -- Egypt's first freely elected president and a Muslim Brotherhood leader -- was ousted in a bloody military coup.