Deniz Yücel, a German journalist who had been in jail in Turkey for a year, is set to be released. Yücel is a correspondent for the daily, Deutsche Welle reports.
Deniz Yücel, who had been detained in an Istanbul prison for a year without any charges brought, is set to be freed, Germany’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday.
A spokesman said the government was “relieved and glad” and thanked the Turkish judiciary. He pointed out that Germany’s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel had been “working intensively towards a solution” in his case. He also said there had not been any “dirty deals.”
Yücel, who has both German and Turkish citizenship, is a correspondent for German daily Welt. He had been accused of working for a terrorist organization.
At a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had hinted that there was some “movement” in Yücel’s case and that he hoped Yücel would be released soon.
Yücel’s case as well as that of other detained journalists and activists had strained relations with Ankara. Merkel had called Yücel’s case a “burden” on bilateral relations.
