Israeli Couple Faces Spying Charges in Turkey for Erdogan Palace Photo
An Israeli couple jailed in Turkey for taking photographs of the president’s palace in Istanbul will be charged with espionage or with a lesser charge of harming the country’s national security, according to an Israeli television news report. Israeli tourists Mordy and Natali Oknin were detained on Thursday; they say they did not know that it is illegal to photograph the president’s palace. They reportedly also sent the photo to relatives via Whatsapp.
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A Turkish court ruled on Saturday that the couple, who are both bus drivers, will remain in jail until their trial. No date has been set for the trial though it reportedly would not be for at least three weeks. No Israeli officials have been permitted to meet with the couple. Israel maintains a diplomatic mission in Turkey. Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is leading efforts to get the couple released. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke with the family in Israel on Saturday night and updated them on efforts to bring the couple back to Israel.
Israeli officials have asserted both to Turkey and in public that the couple does not work for any Israeli spy agency. Their arrest comes a month after Turkey arrested 15 people alleged to be spies for Israel’s Mossad secret service agency. Israel denies the allegations.
