German journalist released from prison in Iraq
May 20, 2022
A German journalist arrested and detained in Iraq last month arrived back in Germany on Friday, her lawyer told dpa news agency.
The woman was accused of espionage and supporting terrorism while reporting on the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).
She was detained during a raid in April on a PKK camp in northern Iraq along with a Slovakian man.
What were the charges against the journalist?
According to change.org, an German activism website that supported the journalist's release, the two were held at the headquarters of Iraq's secret service in Baghdad.
Iraqi authorities had considered her reporting on alleged crimes against Kurds in Iraq as sympathizing with the PKK, which is banned in Iraq.
Her lawyer said she was deported from Iraq immediately upon release. The Slovakian man was also released and sent home.
A petition calling for her release distributed by change.org had received over 53,000 signatures.
"She is with her family for now," her German lawyer told dpa. The woman comes from the city of Darmstadt, located south of Frankfurt.
wmr (dpa,epd)