Germany will have no choice but to restrict its economic ties with Turkey to pressure Ankara into releasing German citizens imprisoned on political grounds, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on September 16, Reuters reported.

“We will have to further cut back our joint economic cooperation with Turkey and scrutinise projects,” Merkel told German newspaper Passauer Neuen Presse.

Exports to Germany accounted for 10% of Turkey’s total exports in July, according to data from Turkey’s national statistics office TUIK. Turkey sold $1.2bn worth of goods to Germany in the month. Shipments to Germany amounted to $8.4bn across January-July.

Berlin has already announced that it has put most arms exports to Turkey on hold due to the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.

“We have put on hold all big requests that Turkey has sent to us, and these are really not a few,” German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on September 11, according to Reuters.

Gabriel reportedly said that there were only a few exemptions such as in instances where the government’s decision is tied to international agreements or if the requested exports concerned vehicles, not weapons.

Merkel rejected a total ban on arms exports to Turkey.

Germany will decide on arms sales requests from Turkey on a case-by-case basis, Merkel told broadcaster NDR on September 12.

Merkel, who faces elections later this month, has said that she would push EU member states to consider suspending or ending accession talks with Ankara.

Last month, Erdogan described Merkel’s Christian Democrats, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the Green Party as “the enemies of Turkey.” Erdogan urged Turks living in Germany to vote against the mainstream parties in the upcoming elections.

On a related note, the Turkish foreign ministry on September 16 summoned Germany's ambassador to Ankara after a pro-PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party) event was organised in Cologne.

“We expressed our strong reaction with regard to this event”, the ministry said in a statement.

“Germany’s hypocritical approach to countering terrorism is most concerning in terms of global counter terrorism efforts. We expect Germany to adopt a principled approach against all kinds of terrorism,” the statement added.

Turkey accuses Germany of harbouring members of the outlawed PKK, and suspected coup plotters.