A diplomatic standoff between Ankara and Berlin has now seen two German journalists leaving Turkey on Sunday after their working accreditation was not renewed.
This follows friction between Berlin and Ankara over comments made by Turkish Interior Minister’s threatening German nationals attending “terrorist activities” with legal action.
Thomas Seibert, a reporter for the Berlin-based Tagesspiegel daily, and Jorg Brase, a correspondent for public broadcaster ZDF are the two journalists whose press cards were not renewed by Turkish authorities without being given any substantial reasons for the decision.
On March 3, Turkey’s Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said their government has taken measures against German nationals who attend “terrorist activities” abroad, further saying they would be detained at the airport if they come to Turkey for a vacation.
Germany issued a travel warning following Soylu’s remarks, and German Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Adebahr told German citizens they should be wary if they attend any political activities that could lead to terrorism charges under Turkish “interpretation of terrorism.”
“Statements that are covered in Germany by freedom of expression can lead to prosecution in Turkey,” Adebahr notified German citizens.
The Foreign Ministry of Germany also updated its travel advisory for Turkey on Saturday, noting that a number of Germans have been arbitrarily detained over the last two years. Deniz Yucel, a German-Turkish journalist who had spent a year in prison in Turkey was released in February 2018 after high-level efforts from Berlin.
“I don’t think it’s about anything I have written. I think it’s a message to the Western press. They need a scapegoat or two or three, and I was one of the unlucky ones,” Seibert was quoted by DW.
Siebert underlined that what they live through is a luxury compared to what Turkish journalists have to endure for doing their work. “More than 130 of them are sitting in prison for what they wrote or posted. Jörg and I, we’ll be sitting in a plane.”
German foreign minister: “Turkish minister Soylu’s assertion unacceptable and worrying”
The post A war of words between Turkey and Germany see journalists from the latter country denied accreditation to work appeared first on IPA NEWS.
from IPA NEWS https://ipa.news/2019/03/11/a-war-of-words-between-turkey-and-germany-see-journalists-from-the-latter-country-denied-accreditation-to-work/
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