Germany retaliated against Turkey yesterday with measures to target tourism, investment and EU funding amid an angry exchange of words over the arrest of a human rights worker. Sigmar Gabriel, the German foreign minister, criticised what he called absurd arrests and arbitrary expropriations after the failed coup a year ago. Mr Gabriel said that the two countries, which had close links historically, “could not continue as before” as he revised official travel advice, warning that every German citizen in Turkey could face detention. In response Ankara accused Germany of “great political irresponsibility” for suggesting that travel there was no longer safe. The row erupted after the arrest of Peter Steudtner, a freelance human rights trainer for Amnesty International, along with Idil Eser, the organisation’s director…

Source: The Times July 20, 2017 23:03 UTC