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April 30, 2025 – Sweden/Turkey –
Swedish journalist Joakim Medin has been sentenced by a Turkish court to 15 months in prison, suspended for five years, after being found guilty of “insulting the president,” a charge that has been frequently used against critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The ruling has sparked renewed concern over press freedom and freedom of expression in Turkey, as well as diplomatic unease between Ankara and Stockholm.
Medin, a freelance reporter with extensive experience covering Turkish and Kurdish issues, was charged under Article 299 of Turkey’s penal code. The case centered on social media posts and articles from 2015 and 2016, which prosecutors claimed defamed the Turkish president. Though Medin has denied the accusations, saying his work was rooted in legitimate journalistic investigation and criticism, the court ruled against him.
Under the terms of the sentence, Medin will not serve jail time unless he commits another offense within the next five years. Nevertheless, the conviction adds to a growing list of foreign and domestic journalists facing legal consequences in Turkey for reporting deemed unfavorable to the government.
International media rights organizations, as well as Swedish officials, have criticized the verdict. The Swedish Journalists Union and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the case as an attack on press freedom, calling for the charges to be dropped entirely. Sweden’s foreign ministry stated it was monitoring the situation closely and emphasized the importance of protecting free expression.
The trial, which began earlier in April, drew attention from global media watchdogs due to Turkey’s long-standing record of imprisoning journalists. Hundreds of journalists have faced charges over the past decade, especially in the aftermath of the 2016 coup attempt, during which Erdoğan’s administration expanded its control over the judiciary and media landscape.
Medin has previously reported on human rights, conflict zones, and political repression in the region. His supporters argue that the charges are a clear retaliation for his coverage of sensitive issues, particularly those involving Kurdish communities and Turkish military operations.
This case further highlights Turkey’s ongoing press freedom crisis and raises questions about how foreign journalists are treated when reporting critically from within its borders.
Reference –
https://www.thelocal.se/20250430/swedish-journalists-trial-opens-in-turkey
