Swedish journalist Joakim Medin, a contributor to the left-leaning outlet Dagens ETC, is staring down a potential 12-year prison sentence in Turkey, accused of both defaming the president and affiliating with the outlawed Kurdish group PKK.
Turkish prosecutors laid out the charges on Wednesday, linking Medin to terrorism and political dissent. The PKK, or Kurdistan Workers’ Party, is blacklisted as a terrorist organization not only by Ankara but also by the EU, United States, and several other Western powers.
Medin was detained four weeks ago upon landing in Istanbul. His trip was intended to cover protests sparked by the imprisonment of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Turkish opposition’s main presidential hopeful. However, authorities allege he was also involved in a 2023 demonstration in Stockholm where a puppet resembling President Erdoğan was strung up upside down outside City Hall—a symbolic act that infuriated Turkish officials.
Now awaiting trial, which is slated to be held in public next week, Medin maintains his innocence. His defense attorney, Veysel Ok, argues the case is flimsy at best and politically motivated at worst.
“There’s no solid evidence—nothing that clearly or convincingly links him to a crime,” Ok said. “He’s being prosecuted for doing his job as a journalist. His reporting may have ruffled feathers, but that’s not a crime. It’s free speech.”
The case has sparked concerns about press freedom and the risks journalists face when covering politically sensitive stories in Turkey. While Ankara insists it’s acting within the bounds of national security, critics say it’s yet another example of Erdoğan’s government cracking down on dissent.
