German Member of Parliament Claims She Was Arrested in Turkey Due to Her Social Media Activity

German Lawmaker Detained in Turkey for Social Media Posts

BERLIN (Reuters) – Goekay Akbulut, a member of the Bundestag for the far-left Die Linke party, was detained in Antalya airport on August 3rd after an arrest warrant was issued by the Turkish public prosecutor for alleged “terror propaganda”. Akbulut, a Germany-born citizen of Kurdish heritage, was released after making contact with the German foreign ministry. She stated that she plans to still travel to Turkey and speak her mind about its government.

Germany is home to the world’s largest Turkish diaspora community, but relations between Berlin and Ankara have been strained in recent years due to German criticism of President Tayyip Erdogan’s crackdown on suspected opponents after a failed coup in 2016 and Turkey’s military offensive against Kurdish militia in Syria in 2019.

Akbulut has been an outspoken critic of the Turkish government’s treatment of the Kurdish population both inside and outside its borders. On her official website, she has accused the government of “waging a brutal war against the Kurdish population”.

It is unclear which specific social media posts triggered the Turkish arrest warrant. Akbulut has not disclosed the details of the posts or the charges against her. However, she remains defiant and stated on social media platform X, “I will travel to #Tuerkei in October again as part of the delegation trip of the German-Turkish Parliamentary Group and, as always, will not mince my words: #FreeThemAll.”

The German embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Antalya have been in contact with Akbulut, according to a source at the German foreign ministry. The ministry is providing support and assistance to ensure her well-being.

Akbulut, 40, has been an advocate for the lifting of the German ban on the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States. Her stance on this issue has been a point of contention between Germany and Turkey.

This incident highlights the ongoing tension between Germany and Turkey, particularly regarding issues related to human rights and freedom of expression. The detention of a German lawmaker based on social media posts from two years ago raises concerns about the Turkish government’s commitment to democratic values and the rule of law.

As Akbulut prepares to travel to Turkey again, she remains determined to speak out against the Turkish government’s actions and advocate for the rights of the Kurdish population. The international community will be watching closely to see how the situation unfolds and whether there will be any repercussions for Turkey’s treatment of dissenting voices.

(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa in Berlin; Additional reporting by Ece Toksabay in Ankara; Editing by Ros Russell)

Original Story at www.usnews.com – 2023-08-13 18:45:00