Merkel Calls on Erdogan to Respect Rule of Law in Coup Aftermath

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call on Monday to stick to the rule of law in response to a recent failed coup attempt, the German government said.

BERLIN (Sputnik) — According to the spokeswoman, Merkel also expressed concern over the recent wave of arrests in Turkey following the failed coup, and stressed that possible reintroduction of death penalty in the country would not be compatible with Turkey's EU membership drive.

"The chancellor urged the president to abide by the principles of proportionality and rule of law in the Turkish government's response [to the coup attempt]," a government spokeswoman told reporters.