Is Erdogan using imprisoned foreigners as bargaining chips?
A reporter for Germany's Die Welt newspaper was recently released after a year in prison with no trial, but Turkey is likely to continue detaining foreigners for political bargaining.
Did Turkey imprison an innocent man for over a year, or was it coaxed to release a dangerous terrorist or spy under pressure from the German government? This question is being raised since German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel was freed Feb. 16. That day, Yucel released a short video clip explaining that as he was leaving the prison, he was handed a piece of paper dated Feb. 13 that informed him the court had decided to continue his prison term.
“I was still let go," he said. "I don't know why I was released today, or [why I was] arrested last year. But I know that neither my arrest — or rather, my being taken hostage — nor my release has anything to do with the rule of law.”
