The journalist Deniz Yücel, who was liberated from Turkish detention, thanked federal government for her support, but at same time criticized her for her past Turkey policy. "Basically, I think that government of Angela Merkel has betrayed all progressive and democratic forces in Turkey twice," said Yücel in an interview that appeared identical on Sunday in newspapers world and Taz.

In 2005, Merkel's government, on one hand, made it clear to Turks: you do not come to EU, no matter what you do. At that time, signs in Turkey were still European, said Yücel. As a second betrayal, he evaluated Merkel's visit to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in wake of 2015 refugee crisis, just before an important election. "This was a very unusual campaign aid in international diplomacy." Moreover, until his own arrest, German government had been türkeifreundlichste within EU – "even as arrests of opposition politicians and journalists began."

In addition, Yücel left an interview to see if he would face next Turkish court meeting in June. I did not leave Turkey with feeling: just away from all this shit here, I never want to have anything to do with it again, said Yücel. He also had no haste to leave country when he was released. On contrary, he refused to be flown silently with a federal government machine. Only one day later he left country with a plane chartered by his newspaper.

On February 14th, 2017, correspondent of World newspaper had voluntarily submitted to Turkish judiciary and n sat for a year without charge in custody. He was released in mid-February. Turkey accuses Yücel of propaganda for a terrorist organization and incitement of people to hatred and hostility because of articles written by him. The procedure will continue. A conviction threatens him between four and eighteen years in prison.

Date Of Update: 19 March 2018, 12:02