Swedish journalist Joakim Medin has been arrested in Turkey on charges of insulting the Turkish president and membership in a terrorist group, rather than for his professional activities, the Center for Combating Disinformation at the Communications Department of the Turkish presidential Administration said on Sunday.
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On Friday, SVT TV channel, citing the editor-in-chief of Dagens ETC, stated that a Swedish journalist who flew to Istanbul to cover events in the country had been detained. Shortly after, he sent a message to the editor-in-chief of the publication that he was being taken for questioning. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Steenergaard said the authorities were aware of the journalist’s detention.
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“Medin, who arrived at Istanbul Airport on March 27, was arrested the next day on charges of membership in a terrorist group and insulting the Turkish president. This decision is in no way related to his journalistic activities,” the center said in a statement.
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According to the Turkish authorities, Medin provided communication between the press and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey.
In addition, Medin is listed among 15 suspects who participated in the PKK rally on January 11, 2023 in Stockholm.
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“Medin participated in the PKK action, during which a mannequin of President Erdogan was used,” the center reported.
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Protest actions in support of the arrested Istanbul mayor, member of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Ekrem Imamoglu have been continuing since March 19 in Istanbul and a number of other cities, despite the ban imposed by the authorities on any rallies and demonstrations. On Wednesday, opposition leader Nuri Aslan was elected acting mayor of Istanbul.
