A court in Ankara has sentenced Swedish journalist Joakim Medin to 11 months and 20 days in prison for “insulting the president of Turkey,” according to his Turkish legal team. The court suspended the sentence and ordered his release, but Medin remains in custody due to separate terrorism-related charges.
Medin, arrested on March 27 after arriving in Istanbul, is also accused of “spreading terrorist propaganda” and “membership in a terrorist organization.” These charges are linked to his coverage of a 2023 pro-Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) rally in Stockholm and his travels to Kurdish regions. Despite the suspended sentence for insulting the president, Medin continues to face legal challenges as Turkish prosecutors pursue additional terrorism charges.
His defense team argues that the charges are politically motivated, part of a broader crackdown on press freedom under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government. Human rights groups, including the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), have criticized the case as a violation of international human rights standards.
Medin’s lawyer, Veysel Ok, stated that the second case, concerning terrorism-related charges, is more complex and will take longer to resolve. Medin’s legal team argues that he is being investigated under Turkey’s expansive anti-terror laws, which have been widely condemned for targeting journalists, academics, and political dissidents.
The Turkish government alleges that Medin’s reporting, books, and social media activity have sought to legitimize groups like the PKK and the Syrian Kurdish YPG, claiming his coverage reflects “organizational loyalty” to these groups. They argue that his focus on Kurdish issues, particularly in northern Syria, is evidence of bias, pointing to his lack of coverage of other global conflicts.
Medin, appearing via video link from Marmara Prison in Istanbul, denied the accusations. He explained that the case stemmed from two articles he had written for a Swedish audience, which focused on reactions to Turkey’s NATO accession process. Medin stated that he had no intention of insulting the president and emphasized that journalistic ethics should guide reporting.
Ok further stressed that Medin was merely fulfilling his professional duties as a journalist, noting that the article was intended for Swedish readers and was unrelated to Turkish domestic politics. He argued that prosecuting Medin in Turkey raised serious concerns about judicial standards and the country’s international reputation.
International observers were present at the court hearing, including members of the European Parliament, Swedish diplomats, and representatives from various human rights organizations. Among them, Jonas Sjöstedt from the European Parliament and RSF (Reporters Without Borders) have both called for Medin’s release, emphasizing that journalism is not a crime.
The case against Joakim Medin highlights the growing concerns over press freedom in Turkey, with human rights groups urging the Turkish authorities to drop all charges and release the journalist, who has been detained for over a month.
