BBC correspondent Hatice Kamer was released by Turkish police on Sunday, a day after she was detained while reporting in the restive south-east of the country, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Police did not provide an explanation for the detention of Kamer, who in addition provides reports for German and US media and is the chair of a local journalists association.

Kamer, who works for the British broadcaster's Turkish service, was detained in Siirt province while she was covering a mining accident in the region that left several workers dead.

Turkey has stepped up measures against the media in recent months, shuttering more than 170 outlets, many of which were based in the mostly-Kurdish south-east. More than 120 journalists are behind bars in the country.

A state-of-emergency was imposed in July after a failed coup by a faction in the army, granting the government sweeping powers.