German prosecutor says Turkish journalists were questioned for personal data dissemination

The investigation on Turkish journalists working for Sabah in Frankfurt was conducted as part of an investigation into the dissemination of personal data the Darmstadt Prosecutor's Office said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, a search was conducted at the residences of Ismail Erel, the Germany Representative of Sabah newspaper, and Cemil Albay, the Managing Editor of Sabah Europe newspaper and the Turkish journalists were questioned by the police, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office.

The Darmstadt Prosecutor's Office announced that searches were conducted at the residences of the 46 and 51-year-old journalists as part of an investigation into "the dissemination of personal data in a manner that could pose a threat."

According to information provided by the prosecutor's office, the search resulted in the seizure of "data storage devices and other elements constituting evidence."

The prosecutor's office stated that the two individuals were released after the completion of criminal police measures, while emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing. In its statement to the German news agency dpa, the prosecutor's office clarified that the journalists in question were not subject to arrest. The dissemination of personal data in a manner that could pose a threat constitutes a crime under Article 126 of the German Criminal Code.

Cevheri Guven, a journalist who resides in Germany and accused by Turkish government of being a follower of the Gulen movement, confirmed on Twitter that the investigation was initiated based on his complaint.

Guven stated that Sabah newspaper openly guided the attackers by revealing the address of his home, saying, "Even the interior layout of my house was described on A Haber. This is a method known from the process in the 2000s when the addresses of minority members were exposed and they were 'fanatically' murdered. I hope everything will be concluded fairly."