Germany on Friday summoned Turkey's envoy after Ankara detained almost a dozen lawmakers from the main pro-Kurdish party, warning that a crackdown against terror should not be used as an excuse to silence the opposition.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier "summoned Turkey's envoy to the foreign ministry," said a ministry source, pointing out that while Ankara "has the right to counter the threat of terrorism ... that should not serve as a justification to muzzle the opposition or to put them behind bars".