Former Turkish premier held despite release order

April 13, 1982

Former Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit was kept in detention by military authorities despite a military judge's ruling that he be freed. Martial law authorities said Mr. Ecevit was detained pending investigation of an interview he allegedly gave to the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The BBC correspondent in Ankara said he did not interview Ecevit recently and was not aware of what the martial law authorities could be referring to. Close friends said they thought the military was trying to find reasons to keep Ecevit in custody after a ''final warning'' last week by Gen. Kenan Evren, Turkey's head of state, for former political leaders to keep quiet.