Swedish journalist Joakim Medin, detained in Turkey for over seven weeks, has finally returned home. His plane from Istanbul landed in Sweden on Friday evening, marking the end of a politically charged incarceration that drew international attention. Medin had traveled to Turkey to report for the newspaper Dagens ETC on widespread protests following the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Medin was arrested on March 27 at Istanbul Airport and was swiftly transferred to Marmara high-security prison in Silivri, a facility known for holding political prisoners. Among those imprisoned there is İmamoğlu himself, whose detention sparked the demonstrations Medin intended to cover.
Conditional sentence, pending trial for terrorism charges
During his 51-day detention, Medin faced serious accusations including spreading terrorist propaganda, participating in a terrorist organization, and insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In a first trial in Ankara, Medin received a conditional sentence for the latter charge. Although released and allowed to leave the country, the terrorism charges will still be tried in absentia.
Medin has consistently denied all allegations, asserting that the charges are directly related to his journalistic activities.
Sweden’s quiet diplomacy leads to breakthrough
The release of Medin followed intensive diplomatic efforts led by Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson credited “hard work in relative silence” for the breakthrough, acknowledging the support of European allies. Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard had engaged in discussions with her Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan during a recent NATO meeting in Belek, although details of the conversation remain undisclosed.
“That work has led to Joakim Medin now getting to come home to Sweden again, and be reunited with his wife, relatives, and colleagues. Now Joakim Medin and his wife will in peace and quiet get to prepare themselves for becoming parents,” wrote Malmer Stenergard on X.
Reaction from press freedom advocates
Medin’s return was met with relief and celebration from press freedom advocates in Sweden. The organization Utgivarna, which represents media publishers, emphasized the broader implications of his case.
“It is an enormous relief for his relatives and colleagues, but also for journalism. Journalists must be able to report and scrutinize, without risking being arrested and charged just for doing their job,” said Utgivarna vice chairman Anne Lagercrantz, who is also the CEO of SVT.
Editor-in-chief of Dagens ETC, Andreas Gustavsson, expressed deep relief: “Now Turkey’s long arms no longer reach him. He is on his way home. He is safe.”
Looking ahead: trial in absentia and growing EU-Turkey tensions
While Medin is now home and safe, the case underscores rising tensions between Turkey and European countries regarding press freedom and human rights. His upcoming trial in Turkey will likely continue to draw international scrutiny.
Medin’s experience is a stark reminder of the risks faced by foreign correspondents and the fragile state of freedom of expression in regions marked by authoritarian governance.
For now, Medin and his wife Sofie Axelsson, also a journalist, can look forward to a moment of peace—and to preparing for the birth of their child, far from the confines of Silivri prison.
