Israeli couple arrested for taking photos of Erdoğan's house deny spy accusations

Çamlıca Tower with the Bosphorus strait in the background. (Photo: AA)

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An Israeli couple and a local person together with them were detained in İstanbul on November 10 and arrested two days later for political and military espionage.

The couple were accused of taking photos of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's house in Üsküdar district from the Çamlıca Tower for espionage purposes.

Staff at the tower's restaurant section tipped off the police after seeing the couple taking pictures of the president's residence, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).

Police were called to the scene and took the suspects in for questioning.

They were also grilled by officials of Istanbul's chief public prosecutor's office before being moved to a prison.

On Saturday, the attorney of Mordy and Natali Oknin came to İstanbul. Isral's diplomatic missions in Turkey said that they were not spies but bus drivers. (PT/VK)