On March 27, 2025, Turkish police took Kaj Joakim Medin, a Swedish reporter for the Dagens ETC newspaper who was traveling to Istanbul on assignment, into custody upon his arrival at the Istanbul airport. He was arrested by an Istanbul court due to the accusations of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and of being a member of a terrorist organization in connection with his alleged involvement with a January 11, 2023, anti-Erdoğan protest in Stockholm.
Authorities claim the protest was organized by people with ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey recognizes as a terrorist organization. Prosecutors in the capital city of Ankara have initiated a criminal investigation against 15 suspects, including Medin, in connection with the event, according to a statement from the directorate of communications at the president’s office.
The journalist was separately indicted and charged in April with insulting Erdoğan and with being a member of PKK.
An Ankara court found Medin guilty of “insulting the president” and sentenced him to 11 months and seven days in prison on April 30 but delayed the execution of the sentence and released the journalist. Medin, who attended the session via teleconference from Istanbul, pleaded not guilty. The journalist left Turkey immediately after being released. The trial related to his terrorism charge will begin on September 25.
CPJ’s email requesting comment from the Ankara chief prosecutor’s office did not receive a reply.