German journalists arrested at Greek-Turkish border


Two German journalists were arrested at the Greek border with Turkey on Friday after allegedly entering a restricted area, local police said.

The pair, reportedly a 31-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman, said they were researching a story about the migration route that passes from this area, according to Greek police.

They were taken to a local police station and will appear before a prosecutor on Saturday.

Journalists arrested in Greece over such incidents are usually released pending trial.

The Evros river on the Greek border with Turkey has for years been a crossing point for migrants and refugees seeking to enter Europe. Many die in the attempt from the cold or by drowning.

More recently, there have also been reports of illegal push backs of migrants back into Turkey, though the Greek state has officially denied such practices.

Last week, Turkish troops arrested two Greek soldiers in the same area. The two men, who are on trial in Turkey, say they lost their way in poor weather and entered Turkish territory by mistake.