A German journalist imprisoned without charge for more than a year in Turkey was released on Friday, opening the way to a thaw in relations between the two countries.

Deniz Yücel, a reporter for Welt newspaper who holds dual Turkish and German nationality, was freed in Istanbul less than 24 hours after Angela Merkel personally pressed the Turkish prime minister, Binali Yildirim, for his release.

But the move did not appear to signal any let-up in the the Turkish crackdown on press freedom. It came as three prominent journalists were jailed for life for alleged links to the failed coup of 2016.

The 44-year-old Mr Yücel was among more than 100 journalists jailed in Turkey after their reporting was seen as critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He was officially held on suspicion of espionage. His detention caused a public outcry in Germany and Mrs Merkel has repeatedly called for his release.