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    Categories: 2017

Germany welcomes release of writer sought by Turkey

Associated Press International
 Sunday 4:45 PM GMT


Germany welcomes release of writer sought by Turkey

 BERLIN

BERLIN (AP) - Germany welcomed the release Sunday of a German writer
detained in Spain on a Turkish warrant and accused Turkey of abusing
the international system used to hunt down fugitives.

Turkish-born writer Dogan Akhanli, who has German citizenship, was
arrested Saturday while on holiday in southern Spain. Akhanli was
conditionally released after a court hearing Sunday, but ordered to
remain in Madrid while Turkey's extradition request is considered, his
lawyer said.

It wasn't immediately clear what Akhanli is accused of, but the author
has in the past written about the mass killing of Armenians in Turkey
in 1915. The killings are a sensitive subject in Turkey, which rejects
the widespread view that they constituted genocide.

In a statement, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel praised
Akhanli's release and said "it would be terrible if Turkey could get
people who raise their voice against (Turkish President Recep Tayyip)
Erdogan imprisoned on the other side of Europe."

"I have complete faith in Spain's judicial system and know that our
friends and partners in the Spanish government understand what's at
stake," Gabriel said.

Erdogan hit back while speaking to supporters in Istanbul, attributing
Ankara's souring relations with Berlin to next month's German election
and warning Germany to "mind its own business."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the arrest of Akhanli was wrong.

"We mustn't abuse international organizations like Interpol for this,"
she told German broadcaster RTL.

The already high tensions between the two countries hit another peak
on Friday when Erdogan said all of Germany's mainstream parties were
enemies of Turkey and urged Turkish-Germans to not vote for them in
the upcoming election.

Merkel called Erdogan's comments "completely unacceptable."

"I invite everyone to vote, here in a free country," she said.

Merkel said she would work hard to improve prison conditions for a
number of Germans currently detained in Turkey on accusations of
supporting banned organizations.

Akhanli emigrated to Germany in 1991 after spending years in a Turkish
prison following the 1984 military coup in the country.

The German section of the writers' association PEN called the arrest
warrant against Akhanli politically motivated.

Spain is also holding Turkish-Swedish reporter and writer Hamza Yalcin
who was arrested Aug. 3 in Barcelona on a Turkish warrant for alleged
terrorism.

PEN and Reporters Without Borders have demanded his release. The
Swedish branch of Reporters Without Borders said Yalcin's arrest was
an attempt by Erdogan to show he can reach critical voices abroad.

Spain's Freedom of Information Defense Platform said it welcomed the
decision on Akhanli, but reiterated that it expects Yalcin to be let
go and Spain to explain both arrests.

Garnik Tadevosian:
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