ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A German journalism organization has warned journalists to avoid travel to Turkey, even for pleasure.
“Arrests and prosecutions of German nationals were made several times in connection with government-critical statements on social media,” the German Federation of Journalists said in a statement on Thursday.
The federation warned that some 18,000 legal cases were launched based on social media posts last year. It pointed specifically to the case of Adnan Sutcu, a Turkish-born German national who has been detained in Turkey on December 27, accused of calling for an independent Kurdistan in posts on Facebook.
There are 49 Germans in jail in Turkey, five held for “apparently political reasons,” a source at the German foreign ministry recently told Reuters.
The German Federation of Journalists warned journalists and bloggers to take care when planning their holidays and check their social media and reporting record before booking a trip to Turkey to ascertain whether they have commented on the political situation in Turkey.
“When in doubt, they should choose a different destination,” it added.
Germany’s foreign ministry has warned its citizens to be cautious about their social media posts about Turkey.
“Arrests and prosecutions frequently related to social media posts that were critical of the government,” it warned in updated travel advice in October.
Merely liking a post could cause a problem and even private comments could be referred to Turkish authorities, the ministry said. “A conviction for ‘insulting the president’ or ‘spreading terrorist propaganda’ can lead to many years’ imprisonment.”
Turkey is a popular tourism destination. In the first eleven months of 2018, it welcomed 37.5 million tourists, an increase of 22.25 percent from the same period the year before, according to official statistics. Germany was the second biggest source country, after Russia, making up 11.5 percent of all tourists.
“Arrests and prosecutions of German nationals were made several times in connection with government-critical statements on social media,” the German Federation of Journalists said in a statement on Thursday.
The federation warned that some 18,000 legal cases were launched based on social media posts last year. It pointed specifically to the case of Adnan Sutcu, a Turkish-born German national who has been detained in Turkey on December 27, accused of calling for an independent Kurdistan in posts on Facebook.
There are 49 Germans in jail in Turkey, five held for “apparently political reasons,” a source at the German foreign ministry recently told Reuters.
The German Federation of Journalists warned journalists and bloggers to take care when planning their holidays and check their social media and reporting record before booking a trip to Turkey to ascertain whether they have commented on the political situation in Turkey.
“When in doubt, they should choose a different destination,” it added.
Germany’s foreign ministry has warned its citizens to be cautious about their social media posts about Turkey.
“Arrests and prosecutions frequently related to social media posts that were critical of the government,” it warned in updated travel advice in October.
Merely liking a post could cause a problem and even private comments could be referred to Turkish authorities, the ministry said. “A conviction for ‘insulting the president’ or ‘spreading terrorist propaganda’ can lead to many years’ imprisonment.”
Turkey is a popular tourism destination. In the first eleven months of 2018, it welcomed 37.5 million tourists, an increase of 22.25 percent from the same period the year before, according to official statistics. Germany was the second biggest source country, after Russia, making up 11.5 percent of all tourists.
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