The German government is using all diplomatic channels to press for the release of the journalist Deniz Yücel, who is being held in custody in Turkey, said deputy government spokesperson Ulrike Demmer. The Federal Foreign Office has called on decision-makers within the Turkish judiciary to move ahead swiftly with proceedings.
4 min reading time
"I can assure you that the German government is using all diplomatic channels to press for the release of Deniz Yücel and that the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Foreign Office are cooperating closely on this matter," reported deputy government spokesperson Ulrike Demmer on Friday.
Every day that passes without the Turkish criminal justice authorities making an effort to get to the bottom of this case is not a good day, confirmed Federal Foreign Office spokesperson Martin Schäfer at the government press conference. It should be taken into account, he pointed out, that this is a particularly severe interference in fundamental rights. It is worthwhile considering carefully whether remand in custody is appropriate in the case of Deniz Yücel, who has already declared his readiness to cooperate fully. The German side hopes that the Turkish judiciary will also realise this.
On Monday evening (27 February) an Istanbul judge ordered that the German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yücel be remanded in custody. The journalist, the Turkish correspondent of the German daily "Die Welt", spent 13 days in police detention after he had handed himself in voluntarily to the Turkish authorities in Istanbul.
The arrest of the journalist is putting a strain on relations with Turkey, which were already adversely affected by the restrictions imposed on democratic liberties, stressed federal government spokesperson Steffen Seibert on Wednesday at the government press conference.
The German government finds it incomprehensible that Deniz Yücel has been remanded in custody, said Steffen Seibert. Deniz Yücel is a journalist. What he did in Turkey, he did in his capacity as a journalist working for a German daily newspaper. "And he did it in a country that has undertaken to respect the freedom of the press and that is now persecuting Deniz Yücel and other journalists," said the government spokesperson.
The Chancellor and the entire German government expect to see Deniz Yücel released. The German government is using "all diplomatic channels" to work for his release.
Steffen Seibert pointed to other German citizens currently imprisoned in Turkey on often unclear charges. They too must receive fair treatment in line with the rule of law, and must have the full support of German consular services. Every case must be dealt with swiftly. Steffen Seibert declared, "People cannot be allowed simply to disappear in prison."
On Tuesday (28 February) the Turkish Ambassador in Berlin, Kemal Aydin, was called to the Federal Foreign Office for a meeting. Following the meeting, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel insisted on full consular access to Deniz Yücel to ensure that German consular officers will be able to afford him the best possible assistance during his imprisonment in Istanbul.
For Chancellor Angela Merkel the news that Deniz Yücel has been remanded in custody was "bitter and disappointing". The step is disproportionately harsh, especially in view of the fact that Deniz Yücel handed himself in to the Turkish authorities and has stated his readiness to cooperate fully with investigations she said on Monday (27 February).
"The German government expects the Turkish judiciary to take into account the high value of the freedom of the press for every democratic society," said Angela Merkel. The German government will continue to push hard for fair treatment of Deniz Yücel in line with the rule of law, and hopes to see him released again soon.
"We are doing our utmost to ensure that Deniz Yücel is released as soon as possible," said Sigmar Gabriel following his meeting with the Turkish Ambassador on Tuesday (28 February). Sigmar Gabriel criticised the decision to remand the journalist in custody, and described it as "unnecessary and disproportionate". He said there are significant differences between Germany and Turkey when it comes to applying rule of law principles and how freedom of the press and freedom of opinion are seen. Relations between Germany and Turkey, he added "are now facing one of their greatest tests of the present age".
"The criminal justice system must not be misused against journalists in any country that claims to be a democracy and to uphold human rights," stressed Sigmar Gabriel.
It must be clear to Turkey that these are difficult times for German-Turkish relations. "The latest development in the Deniz Yücel case makes matters infinitely more difficult for all those on both the German side and on the Turkish side who call for rational conduct, said the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Federal Minister of Justice Heiko Maas has termed the treatment of Deniz Yücel "absolutely disproportionate". Critical reporting, he said, is a fundamental and integral part of the democratic development of informed opinion. "Locking up journalists who make themselves unpopular is not reconcilable with our understanding of the rule of law and freedom of the press," he declared.