- Swedish journalist Joakim Medin is facing two separate indictments in Turkey, accused of “membership in an armed terrorist organization,” “terrorist propaganda,” and “insulting the president,” according to documents prepared by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
- Medin, a reporter for the Sweden-based Dagens ETC news outlet, was arrested on March 28 at Istanbul Airport and remains in detention at Silivri Prison near Istanbul.
- The first hearing in the case concerning the alleged insult against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is scheduled for April 30 at the 79th Criminal Court of First Instance in Ankara. The trial date for the second case—presented to the Ankara 17th High Criminal Court and centered on terrorism-related accusations—has not yet been set.
- Medin is being defended by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), a Turkey-based press freedom organization. MLSA co-director Veysel Ok criticized the indictments, stating that Medin is “clearly being prosecuted for his journalistic activities.” Ok added, “There is no concrete evidence beyond journalism. The accusations stem from Joakim’s reporting, social media activity, and travels related to his profession.”
Medin was detained on March 27 after arriving in Turkey and was arrested the following day. Two separate indictments were later prepared—one for “insulting the president” and the other for “membership in a terrorist organization and spreading its propaganda.” The indictments cite Medin’s social media posts, news reports, and books as key evidence of alleged wrongdoing.
Social media posts and journalism cited as evidence
The terrorism-related indictment alleges that Medin’s articles published on Dagens ETC, social media activity, and books sought to legitimize groups such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the People’s Protection Units (YPG), and affiliated organizations. Turkish prosecutors accuse him of acting under the guise of journalism to promote the groups’ narratives and establish a connection with them.
Prosecutors claim that Medin’s reporting focused exclusively on northern Syria and other regions with Kurdish populations, which they interpret as a sign of "organizational loyalty and continuity." They further allege that he failed to report on other global conflict zones, suggesting a lack of journalistic objectivity.
One of the books mentioned in the indictment, titled The Kurdish Revolution and the Fight Against ISIS, is cited as part of Medin’s alleged propaganda activities. The prosecution claims that even the book’s promotion and related public reactions were evidence of ties to a terrorist group.
Medin’s Twitter and Facebook accounts are also cited, including specific posts from March 9, 2023, which featured a banner resembling Erdoğan alongside a photo of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. Other posts included images of armed YPG/YPJ members and protest scenes featuring PKK and YPG flags.
Turkish authorities claim these images aim to present the PKK and its affiliates as legitimate and to whitewash their violent actions. “This is not war correspondence,” prosecutors wrote, rejecting Medin’s defense that he is a war reporter. “These are terrorist acts, not state-on-state conflict.”
Insult case tied to protest in Sweden
The second indictment accuses Medin of insulting President Erdoğan through social media posts related to a 2023 protest in Stockholm, where an effigy of Erdoğan was hung upside down alongside PKK flags and images of Öcalan. Turkish prosecutors argue that the posts, along with Swedish-language comments such as “If Erdoğan doesn’t want to be hanged in Taksim Square, he better watch out,” go beyond journalistic reporting and constitute criminal insult.
Medin has denied all charges, telling prosecutors that he did not participate in the protests and only reported on them in a journalistic capacity. “I’m a journalist. This is my job,” he said during questioning. “I did not promote any group or insult anyone. The visuals were taken by activists; I merely shared newsworthy content.”
International angle and response from Sweden
The case has also drawn attention in Sweden. In 2023, Turkish authorities requested information from their Swedish counterparts concerning protests in Stockholm that included similar anti-Erdoğan imagery. Swedish judicial authorities responded that the events in question did not constitute criminal offenses under Swedish law and did not warrant investigation.
Prosecutors argue that Medin has been involved in media operations aligned with the strategy of terrorist organizations and maintained regular contact with their affiliated individuals and institutions. They claim he traveled to Turkey more than 20 times since 2015, often via the Habur border gate into northern Syria, staying in the region for extended periods to connect with Kurdish militant groups.
“Joakim Medin’s field activities, one-sided reporting, and consistent focus on a single group create the impression of organizational commitment,” the indictment reads.
Medin was arrested on March 28 and remains detained after a court rejected his appeal on April 9. The cases have raised alarm among international press freedom organizations and the Council of Europe, which has repeatedly criticized Turkey’s use of terrorism charges against journalists.
