Swedish journalist given 11-month suspended prison term for 'insulting' Erdogan
What's the story
Joakim Medin, Swedish journalist of Dagens ETC, has been sentenced to an 11-month suspended sentence by a Turkish court. He was found guilty of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He was arrested at Istanbul airport on March 27 when he landed in Turkey to cover the mass protests after the arrest of mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Erdogan's rival.
Custody continued
Medin's arrest and remaining charges
Medin was arrested on two charges: insulting the president and being a member of the terror organization, Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). He was remanded to the Silivri prison in Istanbul a day after his arrest. Though he got a suspended sentence, he continues to remain in custody on the second charge, for which a trial date hasn't been set yet. Prosecutors allege that Medin took part in a Stockholm protest displaying an effigy of Erdogan, a claim that Medin denies.
Defense statement
Medin denies involvement in protest and photo selection
Medin, who appeared before the court through video link from the Silivri prison, said he wasn't even present at the event and hadn't posted any photos or videos on social media either. "I did not insult the president. I was assigned to write the article," Medin told the court. "The photo was selected by editors, I was just doing my job," he said.
Legal defense
Lawyer advocates for Medin's acquittal
Medin's lawyer Veysel Ok has urged the court to acquit his client. According to him, Medin had no motive to knowingly and willingly insult the president. Ok stressed that his client was merely reporting on Sweden's NATO process, which was vital for Sweden due to concerns about Russian aggression. "He has nothing to do with the photos; he just shared the news," Ok added. If convicted of belonging to a terror organization, Medin faces up to nine years in prison.