UPDATE 2 - Ankara condemns arrest of Turkish journalists by Germany

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM TURKISH DIPLOMATIC SOURCES, FOREIGN MINISTER’S REMARKS ON TV; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Diyar Guldogan and Busra Nur Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - Ankara on Wednesday condemned the arrest of two Turkish journalists in Frankfurt after reporting on the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Türkiye.

The journalists were released several hours after their arrest by the German police.

Ismail Erel and Cemil Albay, senior journalists working for Turkish daily Sabah, were arrested in the early hours of the day, after dozens of police personnel raided their homes in Frankfurt. Their phones, laptops and electronic storage devices were also seized by the police.

"The detention of Frankfurt Bureau representatives of Sabah newspaper by the German police today without justification is an act of harassment and intimidation against the Turkish press. We strongly condemn this heinous act," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We expect the immediate release of journalists who were targeted by a false denunciation of a FETO member for their reporting on the terrorist organization FETO's activities in Germany," it added.

Necessary initiatives have been taken in Germany regarding the issue, and our strong reaction is conveyed to the German ambassador to Ankara, Jurgen Schulz, who was summoned today, the ministry said.

"Right after the first round of the successful Presidential Elections and the 28th Term Parliamentary Elections, we consider it a deliberate act that the German authorities directly detained the aforementioned press members without even inviting them to testify.

“This action against a free press by Germany, which attempts to lecture the world about freedom of the press and freedom of expression, reveals its double-standard approach,” it added.

Diplomatic sources also said Schulz was told that the arrest of journalists is in no way acceptable and Türkiye condemns the act that constitutes a "grave violation" of the freedom of press and expression.

The German ambassador was also told that FETO is targeting Turkish journalists in Germany and preventing them from doing journalism, they added.

Speaking to A Haber TV, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Türkiye will follow the issue and provide the necessary support to Turkish journalists.

He said that with initiatives taken by Türkiye’s Embassy in Berlin and Consulate General in Frankfurt, they are now released.

“Now we know that the FETO members are trying to prevent our journalists in Europe ... Because Sabah newspaper writes about their (FETO members’) true face without any hesitation,” said Cavusoglu.

“In fact, this information is well known by the German authorities and the authorities of other countries in Europe. It is also strange that Germany tolerates these FETO members trying to prevent these Turkish journalists,” he added.