A Turkish court has convicted Swedish journalist Joakim Medin of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, handing him an 11-month suspended prison sentence, according to a media rights group. Medin, who works for the daily newspaper Dagens ETC, remains in custody as he awaits the outcome of a separate terrorism-related trial.

Medin was detained on 27 March upon his arrival at Istanbul airport. He had come to Turkey to cover the nationwide protests that erupted following the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. Shortly after being detained, Medin was charged with insulting Erdogan and alleged membership of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The suspended sentence for the insult charge was announced during a hearing held in Ankara on Wednesday, in which Medin participated via video conference from Istanbul’s high-security Marmara Prison. No date has been set for the trial related to the terrorism charges, where he could face a potential sentence of up to nine years in prison.

The charges originate from an investigation led by the Ankara Public Prosecutors’ Office into a rally that took place in Stockholm on 11 January 2023. The event was attended by PKK supporters and featured an effigy of President Erdogan hanging upside down. The prosecutors identified 15 suspects, including Medin, whom they allege organised, participated in, or covered the rally. The Turkish Presidency’s communications department claimed that Medin also facilitated communication between the PKK and media outlets.

During the opening hearing, Medin, as cited by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) which observed the proceedings, denied attending the Stockholm protest and refuted sharing related social media posts. He told the court: "The indictment begins with a protest I did not attend and includes (social media) posts I did not share. On January 11 2023, a small group of activists held a protest in front of the city hall, hanging an effigy of Erdogan upside down. I wasn’t there — I was working in Germany at the time. I had no knowledge of this protest and made no social media posts about it."

Furthermore, the MLSA reported that Medin experienced multiple violations of his basic rights during his detention, including limited access to a translator, a lawyer, and consular services during the initial stages.

The PKK, recognised as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its Western allies, has been engaged in a long-running insurgency against the Turkish state lasting over four decades and resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. A peace process began in October, and the PKK declared a ceasefire in early March following the advice of its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

The Irish News (Belfast) is reporting on this case amid ongoing tensions surrounding press freedom and political dissent in Turkey.

Source: Noah Wire Services