French photographer freed after Turkey detention

French photojournalist Mathias Depardon returned home Friday after being freed by Turkish authorities who detained him near the Syrian border for a month, a press rights group said.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) chief Christian Deloire said 37-year-old Depardon, who was detained while on assignment for National Geographic magazine, was met by government officials at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport.

President Emmanuel Macron had announced Depardon's arrival on Twitter after asking his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan last weekend to ensure the journalist's return to France "as soon as possible."

Macron had welcomed his release, saying in a statement: "France is committed to freedom of the press and the protection of journalists everywhere."

Depardon was detained on 8 May while on assignment in Hasankeyf in Turkey's southeastern Batman province.

"I am very pleased to announce the return to France of our fellow photojournalist @mathiasdepardon tonight," French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on his official Twitter account. 

Macron last weekend had asked his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to ensure the journalist's return to France "as soon as possible."

Christophe Deloire, secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said the procedure for Depardon's deportation was in progress.

"He's on a plane from Gaziantep (in the southeast) to Istanbul and should return to Paris tonight," he told AFP.  

French interior minister Gerard Collomb said he spoke earlier Friday with his Turkish counterpart Suleyman Soylu who said Depardon could be deported during the day.

The deportation comes a day after the 37-year-old journalist received a visit from his mother for the first time at the detention centre in Gaziantep.

Two weeks after he was detained, Depardon went on hunger strike, stopping almost a week later when he learned that a consular visit would be allowed. 

Depardon was accused of working without a press card, which was in the process of being renewed.

He was also detained over "propaganda for a terror group" - a reference to outlawed Kurdish militants - which could lead to a judicial investigation, according to Turkish authorities.