ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the country may have to “rethink” further relations with Turkey following the arrests of two more German citizens who were detained in Turkey on Thursday for what Berlin says is for “political reasons” .
Germany has already "significantly revamped" its ties with Ankara, Merkel said, but the latest events meant "perhaps it is necessary to rethink them even further,” German news agency Deutsche Welle reported on Friday.
She added that there would be no further discussions regarding Turkey’s participation in an EU customs unit unless the current situation is resolved.
The arrest of the two German nationals in Turkey brings the number arrested due to “political reasons” to twelve, four of whom have dual citizenship, including two journalists and a human rights activist.
The two arrested on Thursday held only German passports.
Foreign spokesperson Maria Adebahr said in a news conference on Friday that Berlin’s consulate in Izmir learned of the two German nationals being arrested from “non-state sources.”
The German consulate has yet to be able to contact the two detained.
"We're trying to establish what they are charged with," said Adebahr said. "We must assume that it's a political charge, suspicion of terrorism, as with the others."
The two German citizens of Turkish origin were detained at Antalya Airport on Thursday, the state-run Turkish Anadolu agency reported. It said the Turkish authorities cited the arrests were due to alleged links to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who has been accused by Ankara for the 2016 failed coup attempt. Gulen denies the accusations.
Relations have become increasingly strained between the two NATO allies in the wake of the failed coup attempt in Turkey last year.
Ankara became angry earlier this year when Berlin banned Turkish politicians from campaigning in Germany ahead of Turkey's constitutional referendum, citing security concerns. Erdogan responded to the ban by accusing German politicians of “Nazi-like” tactics.
Disputes between Berlin and Ankara prompted Germany to move their military aircraft and roughly 250 troops from Turkey’s Incirlik airbase to Jordan in July. These troops are participating in the US-led coalition’s fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
In July, the German government urged citizens traveling to Turkey to exercise caution, but refrained from issuing a formal travel warning.
Including the 12 German nationals being detained for "political reasons", there are now 55 Germans total being held in Turkey.
"Our demands to Turkey are very clear," German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on Friday. "We expect Turkey to release the German nationals who were arrested on unjustifiable grounds."
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