Turk expelled without charge after 3 weeks in Israeli custody
Man detained at Ben Gurion airport and interrogated by Shin Bet, reportedly on suspicion of spying for Iran
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A Turkish citizen who was held for three weeks by Israeli authorities was released Tuesday and expelled from the country, amid reports that he had been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran.
Orhan Buyruk, 32, was arrested in late September upon his arrival in Israel. He was taken in for interrogation but was never charged.
In a statement to the press, the Shin Bet security service said that Buyruk was arrested “on suspicion of carrying out security offenses.”
The Shin Bet added that “with the end of his investigation, it was decided to expel him from Israel and he was returned to Turkey.” The statement did not explain why Buyruk was arrested or why he was eventually released, but Turkish reports said he was arrested over a suspicion that he was spying for Iran.
According to his lawyer, Buyruk was suspected of sending information about Israel to an Iranian friend on Facebook.
After he was detained, the Turkish Embassy in Israel demanded an explanation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry and security services concerning the circumstances of his arrest. According to Turkish diplomatic sources quoted by the Israeli Haaretz daily, Buyruk’s arrest was the result of “a misunderstanding.”
During Buyruk’s detention, there was widespread public support in Turkey for his release, with numerous political parties, media outlets, and NGOs calling for him to be returned to Turkey.
Recent days have reportedly seen a major media campaign in Turkey in favor of his release, and Channel 10 reported a protest outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Friday, October 14.
Buyruk’s lawyer told Turkish media that Buyruk came to Israel with a group of Muslim pilgrims to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. He had previously visited Israel for the same reason.
In photos uploaded to his Facebook page, Buyruk can be seen at the mosque compound. In one of the photos, he can be seen shaking hands with Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, which was outlawed by Israel in November 2015 for its agitation and promotion of violence on the Temple Mount. Salah is currently in prison for incitement.
Buyruk thanks his supports in a tweet after his release on Wednesday.
21 günün ardından serbest bırakıldım elhamdulillah. Bu süre zarfında destek olan herkese teşekkür ediyorum.
— Orhan Buyruk (@orhanbuyruk) October 19, 2016
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