Turkey Police Detain 2 Journalists

Turkish police walk in front of the Metropolitan Municipality headquarters in Diyarbakir, Turkey, August 19, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer
Turkish police walk in front of the Metropolitan Municipality headquarters in Diyarbakir, Turkey, August 19, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer
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Turkey Police Detain 2 Journalists

Turkish police walk in front of the Metropolitan Municipality headquarters in Diyarbakir, Turkey, August 19, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer
Turkish police walk in front of the Metropolitan Municipality headquarters in Diyarbakir, Turkey, August 19, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

Turkish police on Monday detained two journalists for questioning as part of an investigation into alleged “political and military espionage,” the state-run Anadolu Agency said.

The two journalists — Ismail Dukel, the Ankara representative of TELE1 television channel, and Muyesser Yildiz of the OdaTV news website — were being questioned by anti-terrorism police, the agency reported.

OdaTV said Yildiz, who has reported on military issues, was detained following a raid on her home. Police searched her house and confiscated electronic material, the website reported.

Last month, authorities charged seven journalists — including two OdaTV editors and a reporter — with violating laws governing the intelligence agency, for stories on the death of an intelligence officer who was reportedly killed in Libya.

The journalists will go on trial later this month, The Associated Press reported.

As many as 85 journalists and other media workers are currently in jail under Turkey’s broad anti-terrorism laws, according to the Turkish Journalists Syndicate, including many who were detained in a crackdown following the 2016 coup attempt.

Turkey maintains that the journalists are prosecuted for criminal acts and not for their journalistic work.



Taiwan Holds First Live-Fire of US High-Tech Rocket Systems 

The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung, Taiwan May 12, 2025. (Reuters)
The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung, Taiwan May 12, 2025. (Reuters)
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Taiwan Holds First Live-Fire of US High-Tech Rocket Systems 

The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung, Taiwan May 12, 2025. (Reuters)
The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung, Taiwan May 12, 2025. (Reuters)

Taiwan conducted Monday its first live-firing of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) purchased from the United States, as the self-ruled island upgrades its capabilities to repel a potential Chinese attack.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the island under its control.

Taiwan would be massively outgunned in any war with China and for decades has been buying US military weapons and equipment as a deterrence against Beijing.

The first batch of 11 HIMARS were delivered to Taiwan in November.

The truck-mounted units can launch multiple precision-guided rockets at the same time, and has been used by Ukraine against Russia in their ongoing conflict.

AFP journalists watched Monday as Taiwan's army launched rockets from the HIMARS at the Jiupeng base in southern Pingtung County.

Washington severed official diplomatic relations with Taipei in 1979 in favor of Beijing, but has remained Taiwan's most important backer and arms supplier.

In the past five decades, the United States has sold Taiwan billions of dollars worth of military equipment and ammunition, including F-16 fighter jets and warships, angering China.