MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The broadcaster said that their correspondent Valentin Trushnin who was sent to prepare a report about the military coup attempt in Turkey was detained in an Istanbul airport, after which the TV channel's press service said that Trushnin managed to send a message to his editor, in which he wrote that he was searched and that his documents were taken away.
The broadcaster added that Trushnin's colleague Mikhail Fomichev was prohibited from entering Turkey.
Trushnin and I "came together in Istanbul via Baku. However, when I passed through the passport control, it turned out that my name was on some blacklists. An employee of the border controls has called some people in civilian clothes, and they took me to some office," Fomichev was quoted by the broadcaster as saying.
According to the broadcaster, Fomichev was then informed that he was banned from entering Turkey, with no reasons for that decision being stated, and no deadlines for the ban being put forward. He was later sent to the return flight.
Late on Friday, the Turkish authorities said that an attempted coup was taking place in the country. The coup attempt was suppressed by early Saturday, with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stating that all coup supporters had been identified and would be apprehended as the country was returning to normal. Nearly 6,000 people have already been detained.
REN TV is one of the largest private federal TV channels in Russia.