APD | Turkish authorities detain Germans over terror charges

By APD writer Aditya Nugraha

ANKARA, Oct. 6 (APD) - Turkey detained five Germans accused of illegal organization members and spreading propaganda.

Following reports on the detained five Germany citizens in Turkey published by Mezopotamia, a pro-Kurdish media, on Friday, Germany foreign ministry said that it has provided consular support over for the detained ones.

Several Germans have been targeted in Turkey over alleged terror ties, mainly to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) since a failed coup in 2016.

Turkey, the United States, and the European Union have considered the PKK a terrorist group.

Diplomatic row between Ankara and Berlin sparked in March 2016 when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lodged in a complaint against German comedian Jan Böhmermann over a “defamatory poem” against him. The case was dropped by German prosecutors in October.

The row between the two countries resumed in the following year with the arrests of Germans, including journalists and activists. Legal proceedings against them continued despite their absences in the court as they were allowed to leave Turkey.

Turkish Home Affairs Minister Suleyman Soylu has warned in March that the nation would arrest individuals coming to Turkey should they were involved with PKK and other insurgent groups.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)