The release of German journalist Deniz Yücel can be chalked up to persistent diplomacy. It also shows that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not as omnipotent as he thinks, says DW's Jens Thurau.
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Image: Imago/Seeliger
There were already signs that an agreement was close, like rumors of frenetic diplomatic activity between Ankara and Berlin or numerous direct talks between German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavosoglu. And it has just come to light that even President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was involved in the past 10 days. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was just in Berlin on Thursday to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel. In an interview on German television, he said that he wanted Die Welt journalist Deniz Yücel to be released. The statement came as a shock. After all, it was the Turkish government that arbitrarily arrested Yücel just over a year ago and held him without charges until his release on Friday.
Right now, everyone is just happy for Yücel. Thousands of journalists, friends and relatives in Turkey and Germany spoke up for his release over the past year. Prosecutors are seeking an 18-year prison sentence, but the fact that the court has released the German-Turkish reporter tells another story — hopefully.
Turkey has picked too many fights
Of course this does not necessarily mean that Erdogan has come to his senses and decided to respect human rights in the future. And this is certainly not a victory for the rule of law. Yücel's release is as political as his arrest last year. Turkey probably just realized it has picked too many quarrels with foreign partners in recent months. German citizens were arrested in Turkey, and Turkish politicians compared present-day Germany to the Nazi regime. Similar disputes were sparked with other European countries as well as Ankara's NATO partner the United States because of Turkish attacks on Kurds in Syria.
Jens Thurau is a DW correspondent in Berlin
Among the issues hampering German-Turkish relations, Yücel's imprisonment for allegedly supporting terrorists weighed heaviest of all. Now that the burden seems to have been lifted, it is important not to forget that several other German citizens are still behind bars in Turkey, most arrested on flimsy pretexts.
Erdogan's power does have its limits
The most important message apart from Yücel's freedom is perhaps that the power of Turkey's erratic president does have its limits — at least in relation to other countries. That is why it is vital that the acting German government — and especially the future one — does not simply return to a business-as-usual mode with Turkey. Since the failed coup against Erdogan in the summer of 2016, almost everything has changed: The human rights situation in Turkey has become all the more precarious and the country's membership in the European Union seems almost unattainable. That is why Berlin will have to exercise extreme restraint in the future, especially with arms sales to its NATO partner Turkey. One of the dark sides of efforts to release Yücel was Foreign Minister Gabriel's occasional attempt to close a weapons deal.
Gabriel's last chance?
Nevertheless, Yücel's release is also a success for German diplomacy and Gabriel, who is actually quite unpopular within his Social Democratic Party. He probably has little chance of running the Foreign Ministry in the new grand coalition — at least not by the look of things. But his part in Yücel's release does increase his chances considerably.
Deniz Yücel's release triggers joyful reactions — and continued warnings
German-Turkish reporter Deniz Yücel has been released from prison in Turkey, where he was held for a year without charge. Many leading figures in Germany reacted with delight at the news.
Image: picture-alliance/Eventpress/Stauffenberg
Deniz Yücel: A year behind bars
Yücel's story has gripped Germany for the past year. Following his arrest on February 14, 2017, he was accused of sedition and spreading terrorist propaganda but never charged. Articles he wrote about Ankara's conflict with the Kurdish minority and the failed coup of July 2016 may have prompted the allegations. He also spent time in solitary confinement which he described as "almost like torture."
Image: Imago/Müller-Stauffenberg
Angela Merkel: 'I am happy'
The German chancellor expressed her pleasure at the news of Yücel's release during a joint press conference with Poland's prime minister: "I am pleased, like many, many others, that he could leave prison today. I am happy, of course, for him and for his wife." She noted, however, that that there were still some "not so prominent cases" of journalists in jail in Turkey.
Image: Reuters/F. Bensch
Joyfully reunited
Yücel was met outside the prison by his wife, TV producer Dilek Mayatürk. They married while he was behind bars. During his time in prison, she was allowed to visit him only once a week, according to a report in the Sunday edition of Welt.
Image: Twitter/Veysel Ok
Sigmar Gabriel expects Yücel's return
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel had made continued efforts at the diplomatic level to gain the journalist's release. "This a good day for us all." He added that he expected Turkish officials to allow Yücel to leave the country.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Kappeler
German journalists and Amnesty: 'Don't forget the others'
The German Federation of Journalists (DJV) and Amnesty International, however, warned that other journalists should not be forgotten amid the good news. "The freedom of the press is still being massively eroded," said DJV's Frank Überall (pictured). Markus Beeko of Amnesty International Germany echoed his sentiment, reminding that his counterpart in Turkey remains in prison after eight months.
Image: Frank Sonnenberg
Yücel released, while others given life sentences
Shortly after news came that Deniz Yücel had been freed, it was reported that three prominent Turkish journalists — Mehmet Altan (above), his brother Ahmed Altan and Nazlic Ilicak — had been sentenced to life imprisonment for links to exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen. Ankara holds Gulen responsible for the failed coup. The journalists' cases have raised new alarm over the rights situation in Turkey.
Image: DHA Doğan Haber Ajansı
Crackdowns continues
Turkey is still under a state of emergency more than a year and a half after an attempted coup. More than 38,000 people, including journalists and teachers, are in jail, while over 110,000 have been sacked from government jobs. Ankara has told international critics that it is necessary to root out all Gulen followers for security reasons.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca
Protests at detentions in Turkey
The crackdowns have, however, been met with a number of protests both in Turkey and in Germany, whose nationals have also been scrutinized by the Turkish government. The German Foreign Office is aware of 28 German citizens who were arrested in the crackdown, while 31 German nationals are banned from leaving the country.
Image: Imago/snapshot/K.M. Krause
Heiko Maas: 'Overdue news'
Expressing his delight at the news of Yücel's release, German Justice Minister Heiko said that Berlin would continue to do everything in its power to gain the freedom of all German nationals unjustly imprisoned in Turkey "as quickly as possible."
