An Israeli couple was arrested in Turkey on Thursday after photographing the palace of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The two, both Egged bus drivers from Modi'in, were said to have taken part in a tourist cruise in the Turkish capital of Istanbul, during which they photographed the Presidental Palace, not knowing it was a punishable offense.
The sister of the detained woman said the couple sent the picture to the family's WhatsApp group before their arrest, with the caption: "What a beautiful house."
She filed a missing person's report with the police on Wednesday, after she was unable to contact her sister since Tuesday.
"They went to Turkey last Wednesday, for my sister's birthday which fell on Friday. [Her husband] surprised her and took her to Turkey," the sister said, adding the family received no actual confirmation regarding the couple’s arrest, from either Turkish or Israeli authorities.
"We still have no such confirmation. The Turks are making sure they are not spies, but they are completely innocent," she said. "They have a 5-year-old autistic son on the spectrum, and he stayed in Israel."
The Foreign Ministry said the case is known and is being handled.
The couple is reportedly slated to appear before a court in Turkey on Friday.