Turkish Journalist Released After Detention in Saudi Arabia

Turkish journalist Kurtulus Demirbas, who was detained in Saudi Arabia for alleged comments on the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has been released. He was taken into custody in Taif and released after Turkish diplomatic intervention. The incident highlights ongoing complexities in Turkey-Saudi relations post-Khashoggi murder.

Turkish journalist Kurtulus Demirbas, detained last week in Saudi Arabia for alleged remarks on the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has been released, according to a Turkish diplomatic source on Thursday.

Demirbas was taken into custody in Taif while covering Turkey's U-19 football team amidst allegations linked to Khashoggi's killing. It's unclear what he said or how the comments were made.

The Turkish foreign ministry was informed of the detention on Monday and promptly demanded details from Saudi authorities. The Turkish consul general in Jeddah visited Demirbas in Taif and kept his family updated. The release is the result of Turkish diplomatic efforts.

Khashoggi's murder in Istanbul's Saudi consulate in 2018 had strained Turkey-Saudi relations, with Turkey originally accusing Saudi officials of orchestrating it. Relations have improved since 2021 as Turkey dropped these accusations to mend ties. U.S. intelligence in 2021 suggested that the Saudi Crown Prince had approved the operation, which the Saudi government has denied.