Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter is returning to the United States after being detained in a Romanian airport.

Romanian Border Police spokesman Fabian Badila confirmed to The Associated Press that the player left Romania for the United States via London.

Kanter, who is from Turkey, said in a video Saturday morning on his Twitter account that the Turkish embassy canceled his passport and he'd been detained for several hours at a Romanian airport.

Kanter said he believed he was held because of his political views. He's been a critic of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Kanter supports Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who opposes Erdogan.

Kanter has been one of the NBA's best reserves the past two years. This season, he averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. </s> Oklahoma City Thunder player Enes Kanter was detained for hours at an airport in Romania Saturday morning, after the Turkish embassy canceled his passport.

Kanter first alerted the internet of his situation in a video message posted on his Twitter account.

"What's up world. Just wanted to say we are in Romania and they said they canceled my passport by Turkish Embassy. They have been holding us here for hours by these two police," he began in the video.

Kanter, who is Turkish, said he was held by officials because of his strong political views and opposition to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan .

"The guy who did it is the President of Turkey, and you guys know him by now. He's attacked the people in Washington he's a bad bad man. He is a dictator and he is the Hitler of our century. I'll keep you posted guys, but just pray for us and I'll tell you what's going on," Kanter added in the video.

Kanter has since been released and landed safely in London, the NBA confirmed, according to the New York Times.

Kanter has been outspoken since gaining prominence as a center for the Thunder, and was a noted supporter of the failed Turkish coup to oust Erdoğan in 2016.

Kanter on Saturday first retweeted the NBA wishing him a happy 25th birthday, but had posted the airport video within the next hour.

He was traveling as part of his tour with the Enes Kanter Light Foundation. </s> Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter is returning to the United States after being detained in a Romanian airport.

Romanian Border Police spokesman Fabian Badila confirmed to The Associated Press that the player left Romania for the United States via London.

Kanter, who is from Turkey, said in a video Saturday morning on his Twitter account that the Turkish embassy canceled his passport and he’d been detained for several hours at a Romanian airport.

Kanter said he believed he was held because of his political views. He’s been a critic of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Kanter supports Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who opposes Erdogan.

Kanter has been one of the NBA’s best reserves the past two years. This season, he averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. </s> Video: Enes Kanter detained in Romanian airport over 'cancelled' passport Kanter said it's because of his outspoken political views against the Turkish president. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2qF9ndm Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter reacts after a play in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.

Start the conversation, or Read more at USA Today. </s> Thunder center Enes Kanter posted a video on social media Saturday saying he's being detained by police at a Romanian airport.

In the post, headlined, "I'm being held at Romanian airport by Police!!" Kanter said, “What’s up world? Just wanted to say we’re in Romania and they said they canceled my passport by Turkish Embassy."

Before anyone worries that Kanter is about to find himself in a situation ripped straight out of a 1970s foreign prison movie (think "Midnight Express"), Kanter posted a photo of himself with two friendy-looking security officers.

Kanter, a Turkish native, believes his native country canceled his passport because of his well-known opposition Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“He’s a bad, bad man,” Kanter said. “He’s a dictator. (Adolf) Hitler of our century.”

In August, Kanter was disowned by his family, which still lives in Turkey, because of his opposition to Erdogan.

Kanter, who turns 25 Saturday, certainly didn't plan to spend the day being stranded at a Romanian airport. He is in the midst of a worldwide tour for the Enes Kanter Foundation, which provides meals and clothing to the needy worldwide. </s> U.S.-based Turkish basketball star Enes Kanter was refused entry into Romania on Saturday because his Turkish passport had been cancelled, Romanian border police said.

BUCHAREST: U.S.-based Turkish basketball star Enes Kanter was refused entry into Romania on Saturday because his Turkish passport had been cancelled, Romanian border police said.

Kanter, who plays in the NBA for Oklahoma City Thunder, is a long-time supporter of Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whose extradition Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan is seeking in relation to a failed coup last July.

Kanter earlier wrote on Twitter that Romanian police had detained him at Bucharest airport.

"I'm being held at Romanian airport by police," Kanter wrote on his Twitter account, along with a photo of him with his arms around two police officers and a video describing what he said was his situation.

"We are in Romania and they said they cancelled my passport by Turkish embassy," he said in the video, speaking in English. "You know because the reason behind it is just of course my political views."

Romanian border police said in a statement that Kanter had come from the United States and made a stop in Frankfurt.

"At the border checkpoint it was discovered that his passport is not valid, his travel document being annulled by the issuing state," the statement said, adding he then flew on to London.

Turkish officials were not immediately available to comment.

Kanter said last year he had severed ties with his family and pledged allegiance to Gulen after Turkish media published a letter signed by Kanter's father, disowning his son.

During the coup attempt, rogue soldiers in warplanes and tanks tried to seize power in Turkey in a putsch that killed more than 240 people. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile since 1999, has denied involvement. </s> Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter was released Saturday after being held at a Romanian airport because of a canceled Turkish passport.

According to Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times, Romanian border police spokesman Fabian Badila said Kanter was allowed to leave on a flight to London:

"Today at around 1 p.m. local time, an individual arrived from Frankfurt. My colleagues established that his travel documents weren't valid, that they had been canceled by his home country, so he wasn't allowed to enter the country. At around 5 p.m., he left the airport on a flight to London. While he was at the airport, he wasn't detained or locked up; he was allowed to wander around, but he couldn't enter the country."

Royce Young of ESPN reported the NBA worked with the State Department to help get Kanter to London.

Kanter said he's planning a press conference in New York City on Sunday to give more details regarding being detained:

Kanter tweeted a video earlier in the day saying his passport had been canceled because of his political views:

Per ESPN.com, Kanter is an "outspoken critic " of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.



Kanter is a supporter of Fethullah Gulen, who allegedly led a failed coup against Erdogan last year.

According to Hoffman, Kanter is in the middle of a tour for the Enes Kanter Light Foundation.

The 25-year-old was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz before getting traded to OKC in February 2015

His production has improved with the Thunder, and he is coming off a season that saw him average 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Kanter has one year remaining on his contract before he is eligible to opt out and become a free agent in 2018. </s> Oklahoma City Thunder's Enes Kanter was held by Romanian police at Bucharest airport after his passport was cancelled: AP

A Turkish basketball star has become the latest victim of Turkey’s widening international crackdown on alleged coup plotters and political dissidents.

Enes Kanter, who lives in the US while playing for NBA team Oklahoma City Thunder, was held by Romanian police at Bucharest airport after his passport was cancelled.

“We are in Romania and they said they cancelled my passport by Turkish embassy,” he said in the video, speaking in English.

“You know because the reason behind it is just of course my political views.”

Mr Kanter said he was held for several hours, accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of being a “dictator” and the “Hitler of our century”.

“He is a bad, bad man,” the basketball player added, condemning an incident where Mr Erdogan’s bodyguards attacked anti-government protesters during his visit to Washington last week.

Mr Kanter’s agent, Melvut Cilnar, said he had since flown to London and expected to return to the US “very soon”.

Romania’s border police force said the basketball player had come from the US and made a stop in Frankfurt.

“At the border checkpoint it was discovered that his passport is not valid, his travel document being annulled by the issuing state,” a statement added.

Mr Kanter supports a movement run by Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of attempting to oust Mr Erdogan in a night of violence that left more than 240 people dead.

The sportsman severed ties with his family last year and publicly announced his support for Mr Gulen after Turkish media published a letter signed by his father, disowning his son.

Mr Gulen denies the claims, which have been dismissed by the UK, Germany and other nations who have also rejected the Turkish government’s attempts to label the group a terror organisation.

More than 150,000 people have been investigated in Turkey since July’s failed coup, seeing journalists, civil servants, judges, prosecutors, security personnel, teachers and academics dismissed or detained in huge purges.

Mr Erdogan’s government is now moving to extend the crackdown around the world, issuing letters from its embassies demanding the detention of selected suspects without trial.

The cancellation of passports has previously been used as a method to force deportation to Turkey, as in the case of three Turkish men extradited from Malaysia earlier this month.

Human rights groups warned that international school headteacher Turgay Karaman, academic Ismet Ozcelik and businessman Ihsan Aslan were “at risk of torture” after being detained in Dhaka and deported.

Their families deny any involvement in the coup and said they held valid visas in Malaysia, but police said the trio technically became illegal immigrants when Turkey cancelled their passports.

Turkey has applied pressure to countries around the world that are home to institutions backed by Mr Gulen, whose movement runs about 2,000 educational establishments in around 160 countries.

Many countries have refused its demands, but it appears that allies including Malaysia are acquiescing.

The crackdown has made Turkey world’s most prolific jailer of journalists, as reporters are arrested and papers shut down on charges of aiding the “Fethullah Gulen terrorist organisation”, as it is labelled by Ankara.

Four more journalists were arrested from the opposition Sozcu newspaper on Friday, which responded with a “May 19 Press Freedom Special Edition”, carrying empty columns with writers' names. Donald Trump was criticised for failing to raise the purges in a cosy press conference with Mr Erdogan, where he hailed Turkey’s “leadership” and partnership. The US President was previously condemned for congratulating Mr Erdogan as he won a controversial referendum to dramatically expand his powers last month, sparking alarm among European leaders and human rights groups warning of growing restrictions on political dissent. </s> BUCHAREST (Reuters) - U.S.-based Turkish basketball star Enes Kanter was refused entry into Romania on Saturday because his Turkish passport had been cancelled, Romanian border police said.

Kanter, who plays in the NBA for Oklahoma City Thunder, is a long-time supporter of Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whose extradition Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan is seeking in relation to a failed coup last July.

Kanter earlier wrote on Twitter that Romanian police had detained him at Bucharest airport.

"I'm being held at Romanian airport by police," Kanter wrote on his Twitter account, along with a photo of him with his arms around two police officers and a video describing what he said was his situation.

"We are in Romania and they said they cancelled my passport by Turkish embassy," he said in the video, speaking in English. "You know because the reason behind it is just of course my political views."

Romanian border police said in a statement that Kanter had come from the United States and made a stop in Frankfurt.

"At the border checkpoint it was discovered that his passport is not valid, his travel document being annulled by the issuing state," the statement said, adding he then flew on to London.

Turkish officials were not immediately available to comment.

Kanter said last year he had severed ties with his family and pledged allegiance to Gulen after Turkish media published a letter signed by Kanter's father, disowning his son. [L8N1AQ1ZU]

During the coup attempt, rogue soldiers in warplanes and tanks tried to seize power in Turkey in a putsch that killed more than 240 people. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile since 1999, has denied involvement.
Enes Kanter, a Turkish basketballer playing in the American National Basketball Association, is detained at Henri Coandă International Airport after his Turkish passport was cancelled.