Lawmakers belonging to Italy's anti-establishment Five-Star Movement in the upper house of parliament on Friday called on Turkey's judiciary to "clarify as soon as possible" the arrest of leftwing activist Gianfranco Castellotti, who was detained in Istanbul without charge.
"We urge Turkey's judicial authorities to clarify as soon as possible the position of Gianfranco Castellotti, who was held in Istanbul on Thursday during a police raid," the Five-Star Senators said in a statement.
Castellotti must be charged or immediately released and sent back to Italy, the statement said.
"Turkish authorities should respect Castellotti's rights during his detention," the statement underlined.
Castellotti, a 53-year-old vet from the Tuscan city of Massa Carrara travelled to Turkey to follow the trial 10 musicians from the hugely popular anti-government rock band Grup Yorum, which has been accused of terrorism by the country's authorities, the statement said.
Italian journalist Gabriele Del Grande was held for two weeks in Turkey without charge in April last year while researching refugees near the Syrian border, prompting him to begin a hunger strike.
The blogger, writer and human rights activist was expelled from Turkey after Italy's then-foreign minister Angelino Alfano negotiated his release with local authorities.
Del Grande said he had no access to a lawyer and had been “interrogated” on the content of his research during his detention.
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