BERLIN: A German-Turkish journalist who was freed in Turkey after spending more than a year in jail without trial said he was held 鈥渉ostage鈥� by Ankara and that other journalists are still stuck in Turkish prisons just 鈥渇or doing their job.鈥�
Deniz Yucel, 44, the Turkey-based correspondent of Die Welt newspaper, landed in Berlin on Friday night hours after being released from a high security prison in Istanbul.
In a video posted on social media during the night Yucel said: 鈥淭he funny thing is that I still do not know why I was jailed for a year, why I was held hostage for a year.鈥�
Yucel, who has both German and Turkish citizenship, had been accused of writing propaganda in support of terrorism.
He is among more than 100 journalists and writers to be detained in Turkey since the failed July 2016 coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
On Friday, prosecutors presented an indictment seeking up to 18 years in jail for Yucel on charges of 鈥渕aking terror propaganda鈥� and 鈥渋nciting public hatred and hostility,鈥� but he left the country.
In the video, Yucel also highlighted the plight of other journalists jailed in Turkey, saying they had 鈥渄one nothing but their job.鈥�
On Friday, an Istanbul court also jailed three prominent Turkish journalists for life on charges of links to the group blamed for the failed coup.
Amnesty International said their sentencing had 鈥渄rained the joy from celebrations鈥� over Yucel鈥檚 release.
鈥淚 do not know why I was released today,鈥� said Yucel in the video. 鈥淥f course I rejoice (my freedom) but there is a bitter aftertaste.鈥�
Yucel鈥檚 surprise release may help repair severely-eroded ties between Ankara and Berlin.
However a number of German citizens or dual nationals 鈥� who are seen by Berlin as political hostages 鈥� remain in Turkish prisons, among the more than 55,000 people arrested since the failed coup.