German citizen arrested in Turkey on terrorism allegations

Ferdi Soylu, a 46-year-old IT engineer and father from Ulm, Germany, has been arrested in Ankara, Turkey, while on vacation to visit his parents. Upon entry into the country, Soylu was instructed to report to the Ankara prosecutor's office within a week. Following his compliance with this instruction, he was immediately taken into custody.

Turkish authorities have accused Soylu of membership in a terrorist organization, specifically citing ties to the Feza Association in Ulm. The Turkish government classifies the Gülen movement, to which the association is allegedly linked, as a terrorist organization following the failed military coup in 2016.

Soylu’s family vehemently denies the allegations. His brother, Sebahattin Soylu, stated that Ferdi was never a member of the association and had only sent his daughter there for tutoring approximately 14 years ago. The family noted that Soylu has traveled to Turkey multiple times in recent years without incident. German politician Marcel Emmerich has contacted the Federal Foreign Office and the German Embassy to advocate for a fair and lawful process.