Press freedom on the agenda as Erdogan meets Macron in Paris

PARIS (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is traveling to Paris for talks with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, amid protests over press freedom and the deteriorating state of human rights in Turkey.

Burhan Ozbilici

FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2017 file photo, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses his supporters at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey. Erdogan is trying to bring Turkey's relations with European nations back on track following a stormy 2017 that saw the Turkish leader quarrel with European leaders and accuse them of Nazi-like behavior. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)

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FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2017 file photo, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses his supporters at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey. Erdogan is trying to bring Turkey's relations with European nations back on track following a stormy 2017 that saw the Turkish leader quarrel with European leaders and accuse them of Nazi-like behavior. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)

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Erdogan is making his first trip to France since a failed coup in 2016 that was followed by strong repression. Around 50,000 people have been arrested since then and 110,000 others removed from public sector jobs.

About 30 activists of French watchdog Reporters without Borders staged a protest at the Turkish embassy on Friday, holding images journalists jailed in Turkey.

Macron is expected to raise the question of press freedom with Erdogan. They are also set to discuss Turkish ties with the European Union as well as the Palestinian issue and the conflict in Syria and Iraq.

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