Turkish Journalist Alican Uludağ Released From Prison as Trial Continues

Turkish investigative journalist Alican Uludağ has been released from prison after spending approximately 90 days in detention, though legal proceedings against him are continuing in a case that has drawn criticism from press freedom organizations and international observers. Uludağ, a correspondent for Deutsche Welle Türkçe, was arrested in February 2026 on charges linked to social media posts and reporting related to Turkey’s judiciary and political system.

Turkish authorities accused Uludağ of “insulting the president” and “spreading misleading information,” allegations connected to comments he posted on X regarding a trial linked to the 2016 Atatürk Airport attack. Police reportedly raided his home in Ankara before transferring him to Istanbul for questioning and later detention.

Uludağ denied the accusations and defended his reporting during court proceedings. According to accounts from the hearings, he argued that his journalism focused on legal affairs, corruption investigations, and human rights issues, and that the charges represented an attack on press freedom rather than a legitimate criminal matter.

The journalist’s detention prompted widespread condemnation from Turkish and international media organizations. Groups including the Journalists’ Union of Turkey, Reporters Without Borders, the European Federation of Journalists, and Article 19 called for his immediate release and the dismissal of charges against him.

Officials from Germany and international press freedom advocates also criticized the case. Deutsche Welle described the arrest as intimidation targeting independent journalism in Turkey, while European officials warned that the prosecution reflected continuing deterioration in freedom of expression and judicial independence under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government.

Uludağ is widely known in Turkey for investigative reporting focused on courts, corruption cases, political trials, and human rights violations. During his career, he worked for Cumhuriyet newspaper, Olay TV, and NOW TV before joining Deutsche Welle Türkçe in 2021. He has received multiple journalism awards, including the Raif Badawi Award for Courageous Journalists in 2021.

Although the court approved his release pending trial, prosecutors have not dropped the charges, and future hearings are expected to continue in the coming months. Rights groups argue that prolonged legal proceedings themselves are often used as a form of pressure against journalists in Turkey, where reporters increasingly face prosecutions, arrests, and censorship linked to their reporting.

The case has fueled renewed debate online and among press freedom organizations over the state of independent journalism in Turkey. Critics say anti-terrorism legislation, disinformation laws, and insult statutes are increasingly used to silence reporters and opposition voices, while government supporters argue such measures are necessary to combat misinformation and protect national institutions.

Reference –

https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-dws-alican-uludag-released-but-trial-continues/a-77247916

https://www.thefuse.co.za/news/enUHaXo#gsc.tab=0

uk.news.yahoo.com/turkey-dws-alican-uludag-released-134500824.html