BERLIN – German government officials have expressed concern about the state of press freedom in Turkey.
Turkish police stormed the headquarters of the country's largest-circulation newspaper, Zaman, Friday as part of an intensified crackdown on the opposition.
A spokeswoman for Chancellor Angela Merkel said the German leader raised the issue of human rights during a meeting Sunday in Brussels with Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
Christiane Wirtz said Monday that "press freedom comes up as an issue with Turkey on a regular basis."
Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said countries wanting to join the European Union, including Turkey, "should be expected to have a common understanding of basic rights and civil liberties in Europe."
Turkey has become a key partner in EU efforts to stem the flow of migrants coming to Europe.
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