ISTANBUL (AA) - August 27, 2012 - The video footage of a Turkish camera operator who went missing in Syria has been broadcast on the Syrian national television channel, the Al Ahbariye, on Monday.
Turkish camera operator who was working for Iraq's Alhurra television channel seems in the footage that he was beaten up and he talks by heart.
Unal who speaks in Turkish in the video has been supported with Arabic subtitles. In the footage, Unal says, "My name is Cuneyt Unal, I went to Hatay from Istanbul and then went to Kilis from Hatay with a car. Headed to Syrian town of Azaz from Kilis with an armed group. All the groups I was with had arms. There were Chechens, Libyans and Qataris and Saudis in the groups."
Unal, who seems worried and nervous in the footage has been described as a terrorist. The way he reads some of the Arabic words and his struggle with pronunciation gives an impression that he memorised his speech and speaks by heart.
Unal went missing with a Palestinian journalist Beshar Fahmi two weeks ago in Syria.
-Media organizations condemn violence against Turkish cameraman
ANKARA (AA) - August 27, 2012 - Turkish media organizations have condemned violence against Turkish cameraman who went missing in Syria.
Turkish Association of News Cameramen, Turkish Journalists' Federation and Ankara Association of Journalists demanded immediate release of Unal.
In a statement released Monday, the Turkish Association of News Cameraman said that they strongly condemned Syria for preventing Cuneyt Unal from doing his job, for showing Unal as a confessor, and portraying Unal as a side and actor in the war.
"We condemn the video footage related to cameraman Cuneyt Unal. Unal has been a cameraman for the past 17 years and he has been our member for the past 15 years. The best response to the Syrian TV channel's arguments that Unal was a spy is the award Unal received last year for the best news footage of the year. Unal was in Syria for reporting purposes and he has worked for many respectable organizations, including CNN Turk and TRT Turk. Unal was in Syria to convey the developments in the country through his camera. We demand an urgent release of Cuneyt Unal and Besar Fehmi," the Turkish Association of News Cameraman stressed.
A statement by Turkish Journalists' Federation said that the federation was ready to extend any support regarding the incident.
Unal went missing with a Palestinian journalist Beshar Fahmi two weeks ago in Syria.
Regarding the recently broadcast video footage of cameraman Unal, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the video clearly showed that Unal delivered a statement previously dictated to him and he could not have turned into an armed militant all of a sudden.
"The Syrian regime can declare a cameraman or an opponent a terrorist. Anyone who raises his voice against cruelty can be named a terrorist, Israeli spy or something else," he said.
The minister also underscored that Unal's health was now the responsibility of the Syrian state.
