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Stockholm – The journalist Joakim Medin was imprisoned in Turkey for 51 days. Late on Friday evening, he was back on Swedish soil after being suddenly released from prison.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced the release in a post on X, referring to quiet diplomacy and assistance from European colleagues.
“It feels very good to be able to speak as I want, write and move as I want,” said a tired but composed Medin at a press conference on Saturday.
“Long live freedom, press freedom, freedom of expression, and freedom of movement,” he said.
In prison, he felt comforted by the massive support from home, both nationally and internationally – not least when the EU Parliament condemned the arrest. He believes that the high pressure from several quarters played a significant role.
On April 23, he was charged in Turkey for participation in a terrorist organization, spreading terrorist propaganda, and insulting the president. In an initial trial regarding the charge of insulting Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he was sentenced to a conditional sentence.
The allegations of terrorism will continue to be examined in Turkey in his absence. The process is likely to last for 4–5 years according to Medin.
Joakim Medin “absolutely” could not have been released without the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard. She also emphasizes that Sweden has made no concessions.
(May 17)