ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Berlin has amended its travel advisory for Turkey after at least three German journalists were refused accreditation by Ankara, a move that could derail relations again.
German journalists have been among several Europeans who were refused accreditation to work in Turkey in recent weeks, Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in travel advice updated on Saturday.
“Statements that are covered by the German legal understanding of freedom of expression, can lead to restrictions and criminal proceedings in Turkey,” the ministry stated.
“In the last two years, German nationals were increasingly arbitrarily detained,” it added.
Journalists, social media users, and dual nationals critical of the government could face detention, prosecution, and prison sentences, the ministry warned.
In January, a German journalism organization advised its members against travel to Turkey, even for pleasure, warning they could face prosecution for their social media posts.
Turkey is “still the world’s worst jailer of journalists,” according to Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). At least 68 journalists were jailed for their work, the press freedom advocates stated in December.
Heiko Maas, Germany’s Foreign Minister said he wants to have a “working dialogue” with Turkey, but it is “unacceptable” that German journalists cannot work freely in Turkey.
According to Germany’s DW, three German journalists have been affected by Turkey’s decision to refuse or revoke accreditation. The news outlet names them as Thomas Seibert from Der Tagesspiegel, Jorg Brase from ZDF, and Halil Gulbeyaz from NDR.
DW published a brief email it received from the intelligence office in Ankara: “Dear members of the press. The renewal of your press accreditation for the year 2019 has not been granted.”
Media have been a target in Ankara’s crackdown after the failed July 2016 coup. Authorities are suspicious of any activity that could be construed as connected to or supporting the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara blames for the coup, or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Last week, Turkey’s Daily Sabah accused Thomas Seibert of working for Ahval, an independent news site that is blocked in Turkey. Daily Sabah called it a “Gulen mouthpiece.”
Seibert responded on Twitter. “I have never worked for Ahval,” he asserted, explaining that Ahval had republished some of his work written for The Arab Weekly.
Seibert has worked in Turkey since 1997, according to Der Tagesspiegel.
Relations between Germany and Turkey were damaged after the arrests of several German citizens in Turkey. Ties improved in 2018 after dual national journalist Deniz Yucel was released and another journalist Mesale Tolu was allowed to return to Germany. Both are still facing terror-related charges in Turkey.