French journalist Loup Bureau, who was released after 52 days in detention in Turkey, is expected to arrive in Paris on Sunday.
According to French media reports, Martin Pradel, the lawyer for the journalist, said Bureau would most probably arrive in Paris on Sunday morning, updating his previous statement that indicated a Saturday evening arrival.
“We are pleased to announce the release of journalist #LoupBureau. He will be expelled from Turkey shortly,” Pradel tweeted out on Friday, right after a court in Şırnak ruled to release and deport Bureau.
Bureau was arrested on Aug. 1 in the southeastern province of Şırnak on charges of aiding and supporting a terrorist organization.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called on Turkey’s government at a Thursday news conference in Ankara to show respect for European Union values and called for a swift trial for Bureau.
“I have underlined the importance of returning to a more conciliatory exchange concerning [Turkey’s] relations with certain European nations so that we may concentrate efforts on problems that we face,” Le Drian said.
Bureau was detained on July 26 near the Iraqi border while he was preparing a report on the Kurdish issue and what life is like for the local population. He was arrested on Aug. 1 for aiding and supporting the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and taken to a prison in Şırnak province.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) official Twitter account also announced Bureau’s release in a tweet saying “#Turkey: We are very pleased to announce the imminent release of the French journalist #LoupBureau after 52 days in jail!”
