ISTANBUL – A Swedish journalist, Kaj Joakim Medin, has been arrested in Turkey while reporting on protests tied to the detention of Istanbul’s mayor. Turkish authorities have accused Medin of “terrorism” and “insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” citing his previous work in conflict zones as evidence of a threat.
Medin, who arrived in Turkey to cover the unrest, now finds himself imprisoned in a country where press freedom has long been under siege. The Swedish government has called for immediate consular access and clarification from Ankara, though Turkey’s track record suggests little cooperation. Under Erdogan’s rule, independent journalism increasingly appears to be a punishable offense.
Source: Reuters