Joakim Medin is accused of terrorist crimes related to his association with the PKK, linked to his journalistic work. After the trial was postponed three times previously, the court in Istanbul has announced that it will be held on Thursday, starting at 10 am Swedish time.
When the trial was last postponed, in May of this year, it was justified by the Swedish government's refusal to allow Medin to be heard via link from Sweden. According to the court, this made it impossible to reach a verdict. There has been no new information from Sweden since then.
Violations of legal principles
The government says no to the request because the Turkish legal process is not compatible with Swedish law.
It would be contrary to Swedish general legal principles to contribute to a process that could restrict freedom of expression and free and unfettered journalism, said Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) in connection with the decision.
Following remotely
Joakim Medin himself is following Thursday's trial remotely from Sweden. Several representatives from Sweden are, however, present to monitor the hearing, including James Savage, chairman of Utgivarna og Sveriges Tidskrifter, and Victoria da Silva, international secretary of the Swedish Journalists' Association. The Left Party's MEP Jonas Sjöstedt is also present.
Medin was arrested during a reporting trip to Turkey in 2025 and released after 51 days in prison. He is charged with participating in a terrorist organization and spreading terrorist propaganda. The exact nature of the charges is unclear.
