Turkish court detains AFP journalist as part of protests probe, union says

A Turkish court detained Agence France-Presse photojournalist Yasin Akgul as part of an investigation into protests over the jailing of Istanbul's mayor, Turkey's Journalists Union said on Tuesday.

According to the ruling document seen by Reuters, the court decided to keep Akgul in jail pending trial on a charge of attending illegal meetings and marches and not dispersing voluntarily despite warnings.

The union said Akgul was one of seven journalists remanded in custody by the court.

Akgul and his lawyers said during their defence that he was covering the protests as a journalist and requested that he be released, according to the court document.

AFP chairman and chief executive Fabrice Fries called for Akgul's immediate release saying that he was not participating in the protests but was covering them as a journalist.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Tuesday that 1,418 people who took part in the nationwide protests had been detained since Wednesday, adding that 478 of them would face judicial authorities later in the day.

Meanwhile, many anti-government protesters said they were prepared for a long-term standoff after six nights of action and scattered clashes with police over the jailing of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, rejecting President Tayyip Erdogan's claim that their "show" will fizzle out.