German anger over boy, 17, in Turkish jail

[Aptrgangr]

German anger over boy, 17, in Turkish jail



Kate Connolly in Berlin
Tuesday June 26, 2007
The Guardian

Germany's foreign minister is to intervene in the case of a 17-year-old German schoolboy jailed in Turkey after alleged sexual abuse of an underage British girl.Marco Weiss, from Ülzen, 95 miles west of Berlin, has been in jail awaiting trial in Antalya for 10 weeks. If found guilty of abusing the 13-year-old from Manchester he could face up to eight years in prison.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany's foreign minister, said he would talk to his counterpart, Abdullah Gul, when the two meet in Brussels today, and would be pushing for the boy's release.

The German press has reported that the girl's mother pressed charges of sexual abuse against him in April, and he was arrested by the Turkish authorities. He denies the charges.

The two teenagers apparently met at a hotel in Turkey in the resort town of Side during the Easter holidays, where, according to Mr Weiss, the girl told him she was 15.

Her family says he assaulted her, but Mr Weiss and his family insist that he only kissed and flirted with her while her sister watched from a nearby balcony.

According to the boy's lawyer, he is being held in a cell with a single shower and toilet with 30 other foreign prisoners. He is awaiting his first hearing on July 6.

His family said they were allowed to see him only once a week, for a few minutes each time and only behind a glass screen.

Turkey's press reacted angrily yesterday to reports that Germany had delivered a diplomatic note, requesting the boy's release, saying that Germany should not meddle in Turkey's judicial affairs.

Marco's father, who is seriously ill with leukaemia, held a press conference yesterday appealing for his son's release.

German anger over boy, 17, in Turkish jail | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited