The prosecution unit in Giza renewed Saturday the detention of a Turkish national who was arrested on Thursday for photographing police forces near the Giza pyramids.
Salah Al-Din Akious, a Turkish police officer, photographed police forces while driving his personal vehicle near the Egyptian landmark. Police forces stopped him shortly after the incident, confiscated his camera, and detained him.
During the course of interrogations, Akious said he was taking the pictures for his own use, according to a transcript of the interrogations distributed by the prosecutor’s office.
The Turkish embassy was contacted but a representative was not available for comment.
Although Egyptian juridical practice does not have any statutes prohibiting the photographic capture of security forces and government buildings, there have been numerous reported cases in which police officers stop or detain civilians while taking photos proximate to Egyptian security forces. Many journalists, for example, reported that police officers have attempted to inspect their cameras and, in some cases, have asked the journalist to delete photographic content.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry reasserted the necessity of having a “stern and clear” international stance to defeat terrorism and curtail its resources.
Relations between Egypt and Turkey have deteriorated since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood government in July 2013.
In the ensuing strictures levelled against the Brotherhood following President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s ascension to power, Turkey has emerged as a sympathiser to the now outlawed group.
