German Federation of Journalists advises journalists not to go to Turkey

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The German Federation of Journalists (DJV) has issued a warning to journalists in Germany, advising them not to travel to Turkey for work or personal reasons.

Frank Überall, the DJV President and journalist, drew attention to the arrest of Gökay Akbulut, an MP of the German Left Party and an opposition parliamentarian, at Antalya Airport on August 3. Überall stated, "This recent incident once again highlights how Erdogan's autocracy views its critics as 'militant enemies of the state'."

Überall continued his statement regarding Akbulut's arrest in Turkey:

"If even parliamentary immunity does not protect an individual from being arrested in Turkey, then the danger is even greater for journalists. Any journalist who has criticized Turkey, President Erdogan, or the ruling AKP party in their news or on social media should stay away from Turkey. The potential risks are unpredictable."

Social media posting

The Spokesperson of the German Foreign Ministry also emphasized the federal government's travel advisory for Turkey during a press conference this morning. The statement pointed out "long-standing arbitrary arrests and detentions in Turkey, especially concerning opposition members, Alevi and Kurdish citizens who could face arrest or be deported with entry bans."

The statement also noted that actions such as liking a post on social media or making claims of insulting the President could lead to such sanctions.

Akbulut's detention

On August 3, around 3 pm, Gökay Akbulut's plane landed at Antalya Airport. Akbulut was detained despite identifying herself as a parliamentarian during passport control. The MP was found to have an arrest warrant for "terrorist propaganda" and was held at the airport for several hours.

After a medical examination, Akbulut was brought before the Prosecutor's Office and was released around 11 p.m. with the intervention of the German Foreign Ministry. In an interview with DW Türkçe, she stated that she left Turkey the next day and crossed into Greece, also mentioning that the arrest warrant against her had been lifted.

It was revealed that the investigation against Akbulut was initiated by the Kayseri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in 2019, based on her social media posts, under the accusation of "terrorist propaganda."

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(TY/PE)