Peter Steudtner

German campaigner Peter Steudtner is among the 11 human rights activists on trial in Turkey, accused of belonging to and aiding terror groups. Critics say the charges are politically motivated, Deutsche Welle reported.

The trial of the 11 activists was set to begin on Wednesday, with the defendants facing up to 15 years in jail on terrorism related charges. 

Two more German citizens have been detained in Turkey "for political reasons", Berlin said Sept. 1, bringing the total number of German political prisoners in Turkish custody to 12 amid badly frayed ties between the countries.

Turkey is engaging in “hostage diplomacy” by holding several US and German citizens on seemingly trumped-up terrorism charges as bargaining chips in order to force the US and Germany to extradite Turkish nationals, according to current and former security officials in Europe and the US.

Economic pressure on Turkey "is working," German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said, commenting on ongoing tensions between Berlin and Ankara. 

The German Foreign Ministry on July 20 toughened its travel warning on Turkey and warned German companies about investing in the country after human rights activist Peter Steudtner was arrested.  

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is hopeful that the strains in Turkish-German ties will end once the German general elections are held on Sept. 25. 

This is what he said in an address to mark the opening of a new Coca Cola and soft drinks factory in the western province of Isparta over the weekend. 

German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Schafer has said the German government is concerned about the potentially worsening jail conditions of human rights activist Peter Steudtner, who was recently transferred to Istanbul's Silivri Prison, Deutsche Welle has reported. 

Germany's foreign minister says his country and Sweden have made a joint protest to Turkey about the jailing of two human rights activists, demanding that the men be told what exactly they are accused of.

Two human rights activists have been arrested in Istanbul a short while after being released from detention.  

Nalan Erkem and İlknur Üstün, who were previously detained and later released on condition of judicial control, were arrested on July 22. 

The Turkish and German foreign ministers spoke on the phone on July 22 amid a row between the NATO partners that has sharply worsened since the arrest of several rights activists in Istanbul, according to diplomatic sources.

The phone call between Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Sigmar Gabriel took place amid recent tension between Turkey and Germany.

Germany has frozen all arms deliveries to Turkey, a newspaper reported on July 21, amid a row between the NATO partners that has sharply worsened since the arrest of several rights activists in Istanbul.