The German Federation of Journalists (DJV) national President Frank Überall said that the short-term arrest of Die Linke MP, Gökay Akbulut, when she went to Turkey in early August "shows once again that the Erdogan autocracy sees its critics as militant enemies of the state and persecutes them whenever it has the opportunity."

Überall added: "If even an MP's immunity does not protect against arrest, the danger for journalists is much greater.”

Überall said that" any journalist who makes critical comments about Turkey, the President or the ruling AKP party in his/her own articles or on social networks, should stay away from this country, because Turkey is a dangerous country."

The Deutscher Journalisten-Verband (German Federation of Journalists) is a professional association, trade union and service center for journalists.