Italian journalist Andrea Lucidi leaves Turkey after brief detention in Istanbul

Italian reporter Andrea Lucidi was released from Turkish custody and on Friday morning, February 20, 2026, flew from Istanbul to Italy. The journalist had been detained the previous afternoon by local police. He was apprehended along with a group of people forming part of an international delegation consisting of lawyers and human rights defenders. This group, operating under the auspices of the organization International Solidarity for Political Prisoners (IS4PP), had arrived in Turkey to conduct an inspection of new prison models. After his detention, Lucidi was taken to a deportation center, suggesting the Ankara authorities' intent to immediately expel him from the country. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commonly known as Farnesina, immediately undertook diplomatic action. The Italian Consulate General in Istanbul monitored the situation from the first moments after receiving information about the incident. Although the official reasons for the detention were not fully specified, media attention focused on Lucidi's professional profile. He is described as a reporter strongly linked to Russian propaganda and Kremlin-controlled media, which, in the context of complicated international relations, may have attracted the interest of Turkish security services. Relations between Turkey and Italy are traditionally good; however, Ankara has maintained a restrictive approach towards foreign journalists and organizations investigating the penitentiary system for years, which has repeatedly led to diplomatic incidents with European Union countries. The matter was resolved quickly thanks to efficient coordination by consular services. After his release from the center, Lucidi was directed to the airport, from where he embarked on his journey back to his homeland. In a released statement, the IS4PP organization emphasized that the delegation was peaceful and expert in nature and deemed the actions of the Turkish police as an unjustified hindrance to the work of human rights observers. Italy did not issue an official protest, focusing on the safe return of its citizen to the country. 18 — hours the journalist spent in custody [{"dataISO": "2026-02-19T14:00", "data": "February 19, afternoon", "tytul": "Delegation detained", "opis": "Turkish police detain Lucidi and other IS4PP members in Istanbul."}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-19T20:00", "data": "February 19, evening", "tytul": "Foreign Ministry intervention", "opis": "Italian diplomacy takes steps to clarify the reporter's situation."}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-20T08:00", "data": "February 20, morning", "tytul": "Release and departure", "opis": "Andrea Lucidi is released and takes off on a flight towards Italy."}]