German ambassador meets journalist held in Turkish jail

BERLIN – Germany’s foreign minister has welcomed the fact that his country’s ambassador was able to meet a German-Turkish reporter detained in Istanbul almost four months ago.

Deniz Yucel, who works for German newspaper Die Welt, was arrested Feb. 14. Germany’s ambassador, Martin Erdmann, spent over an hour with Yucel Tuesday.

Turkish authorities accuse Yucel of disseminating terrorist propaganda and inciting hatred, as well as espionage and ties to the outlawed PKK group — allegations Yucel denies.

The case is one of several sources of friction between Ankara and Berlin.

Germany Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Tuesday his country will continue to press for Yucel’s swift release.

German officials were granted consular access earlier this month to another jailed journalist, Mesale Tolu, a 33-year-old German with Turkish roots.