Germany warns citizens not to travel to Turkey to avoid arbitrary detention

NEWS DESK

On Saturday, Germany has announced tougher travel warnings to Turkey, and warned its citizens that they could be arrested for expressing tolerable opinion in Germany, but it may not be the case with the Turkish authorities.

"The Turkish government can take no action against representatives of the German media and civil society organizations," a recent warning to the German Foreign Ministry on travel said.

And added "The data covered by the German legal understanding of freedom of expression can lead in Turkey to professional restrictions and criminal proceedings."

The travel warning, confirmed by a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said on Saturday that several European journalists, including Germans, had not been accredited in Turkey without giving reasons.

The ministry said that any tourist who had previously participated in meetings abroad of banned organizations in Turkey faced the risk of arrest, as well as Germans who said or supported views critical of the Turkish government on social networking sites.

(T/S)

ANHA