Turkey must release prisoners to mend ties with EU, German FM says - Turkey - Haaretz.com
▻https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/turkey/turkey-must-release-prisoners-to-mend-ties-with-eu-german-fm-says-1.6434480
Turkey cannot revive its strained relationship with the European Union until it frees German citizens it has detained, Germany’s foreign minister said on Friday as his Turkish counterpart called for a fresh start with the bloc.
Turkey, which has had awkward relations with Europe for several years, is seeking to mend them at a time when its currency has been falling and its ties with the United States have sharply deteriorated.
Germany says 50 of its citizens are being held in Turkish prisons following a crackdown after a failed coup in July 2016. Only seven have been charged. Another 35 are blocked from leaving the country.