That Joakim Medin is sentenced to a conditional sentence for insulting Turkey's president is a small victory, even if the sentence seems strange from a Swedish perspective, says Dagens ETC's editor-in-chief.
This means that Joakim is one step closer to coming home to his family and colleagues again. But the most serious and severe charge remains.
Remains in prison
Joakim Medin is a freelance journalist and was on assignment for Dagens ETC when he was arrested in Istanbul on March 27. He will remain in prison awaiting the next trial, which is being moved from Ankara to Istanbul.
There is no new trial date, but Andreas Gustavsson expects it to take two to four weeks before it begins.
In the meantime, we will prepare ourselves in the same way as before the recently concluded trial. It's good that Joakim gets another chance to defend himself and that the defense can prepare meticulously.
Do you dare to hope that the second verdict will bring a positive message?
It's very difficult to say anything about the outcome. I can only hope that he can board a plane home to Sweden after the trial day. The worst scenario would have been a guilty verdict and several years of actual imprisonment. So this is a success in terms of Joakim getting to come home as soon as possible.
The Foreign Minister: "We are working intensively"
Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard has followed the trial and had close contact with the ambassador who attended on site.
It's a relief that the process in this part has been quick. My hope is that Joakim Medin will soon be reunited with his relatives in Sweden, and we are continuing to work intensively to make it happen.
Ulrika Hyllert, chair of the Journalists' Union, also emphasizes that the situation remains serious since the charge of terrorist offenses remains.
The only evidence against him is his journalism. It's journalism that in Sweden has led to him being nominated for awards and in Turkey leads to a guilty verdict. It's absurd and incredibly serious, says Ulrika Hyllert.
