Court orders release of second German national detained in Turkey

ISTANBUL

A court on Sept. 7 ordered the release of a second German national detained in the southern prov-ince of Antalya last week, amid escalating tension between the two allies in the run-up to the Ger-man election.

The identities of the two individuals have not been disclosed, but they were a couple holidaying in Antalya, according to reports.

The detention of the two was announced on Sept. 1 by Berlin with great consternation and the first national was freed three days later.

Doğan News Agency reported the second German national—identified only as K.A.—was released on Sept. 7, with the court placing them under an overseas travel ban.

Two people had been detained as part of an investigation into the Gülen network, widely believed to have masterminded last year’s coup attempt.

Their release means 10 German citizens remain under detention in Turkey, including German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yücel, who has been held for more than 200 days.

The detentions have raised tensions between Ankara and Berlin and have led Chancellor Angela Merkel to call for a review of relations and Turkey’s EU accession talks.