Turkey has expressed frustration at Germany's lack of movement on extradition requests after a failed coup. A German lawmaker said Berlin should "exert resistance" to instead get German citizens out of Turkish custody.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Charisius
Advertisement
Since the failed coup of July 2016, Turkey has requested the extradition of 81 people from Germany, according to the Justice Ministry's response to an inquiry from the Left Party's parliamentary party.
The Justice Ministry, however, did not provide information on how many of those requests were based on terrorism charges or whether Berlin complied with the requests.
Turkey has accused Germany of harboring thousands of suspects allegedly involved in a failed coup on July 15, 2016 that left more than 200 people dead, including soldiers and civilians.
'Exert resistance'
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in November last year that Ankara had already requested more than 4,000 suspected members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed frustration at Berlin's failure to handover suspected criminals. "Look, I've given Germany 4,500 files on the PKK, and we did not receive any feedback on any of the 4,500 files," Erdogan said.
Turkey: The failed coup and its aftermath
Night of terror: The failed coup attempt turned Turkey into a war zone. More than 260 people have died. Does the country face the threat of a civil war?
Image: Getty Images/E.Ortac
Bloodshed by the Bosphorus
A blood covered resident of Istanbul stands near the Bosphorus Bridge. There were clashes between civilians and the army after the military had blocked the bridge. Government sources say that more than 260 people were killed in fighting during the coup attempt.
Image: Getty Images/B.Kilic
Tanks roll through streets
Tanks drove through several cities in the night in a completely surprise move. The Turkish military announced its takeover. The tracked vehicles flattened cars in the streets of Istanbul and Ankara, turning the country into a war zone.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T.Bozoglu
Lights out in parliament
After the bombing of parliament in Ankara, the building is in ruins. Fighter jets flew low over the capital and had the citizens panicking.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B.Uzun
Who owns the Republic Monument?
The army not only closed the Bosphorus Bridge: it also occupied Taksim Square, a main transportation hub in Istanbul. The soldiers positioned themselves in front of the Republic Monument.
Image: Reuters/M. Sezer
Icon of resistance
Erdogan supporters also protested on the square. A showdown began when a soldier pointed his gun at a man. The army opened fire on the protesting crowd on the square.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/U.O.Simsek/
The calm after the storm
Shirts off their backs: After the failed coup attempt, rebel soldiers laid down their arms on the Bosporus Bridge and fled.
Image: Getty Images/G.Tan
Put to flight
After the armed forces had surrendered, soldiers tried to get on a bus to flee from the angry masses.
Image: Reuters/M.Sezer
Cheering crowds
President Tayyip Erdogan returned to Istanbul. Cheering crowds received him at the airport. Erdogan announced that the rebels would pay a heavy price.
Image: Reuters/H.Aldemir
It's over!
Erdogan supporters triumph and wave the Turkish flag after the army's withdrawal. The coup attempt has failed.
Image: Getty Images/G.Tan
Posing on a tank
Bizarre souvenir: A mother took a picture of her daughter on top of a tank. The tank on the Bosphorus Bridge was surrounded by Turkish police.
Image: Reuters/M.Sezer
10 images1 | 10
However, Left Party lawmaker Alexander Neu said Berlin should not cave into Turkey's demands, especially when German citizens remain in Turkish jails, such as German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yücel, German journalist Mesale Tolu and human rights defender Peter Steudtner.
"Instead, the federal government must exert resistance to get the German hostages out of custody," Neu said.
Authoritarian turn
Since the failed coup, Ankara has orchestrated a nationwide crackdown on suspected supporters of self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen, who allegedly masterminded the putsch.