Right now, we have very intensive contacts with Turkey about this, and I don't think I'll go into them at all right now. Charges have been filed, and there will be court proceedings at the end of April. I don't want to complicate anything about this right now, says Kristersson.
When asked why the Prime Minister hasn't visited Turkey, as he did during the NATO negotiations, he replies that there are "many things we're considering", but he doesn't want to comment further.
This is an incredibly important and sensitive issue. We're doing everything we can, but I don't think I'll say anything that risks or complicates things for him.
Combat PKK
When asked if it's safe for Swedes to travel to Turkey, Kristersson responds:
In general, I think it's safe, but it's quite obvious that the Turkish legal system leaves many question marks.
Sweden has, however, not been the least bit naive in its view of Erdogan and Turkey, the Prime Minister emphasizes.
We've learned a lot about Turkey over a long period, not least during the NATO negotiations. Sometimes we have coinciding interests, for example when it comes to combating PKK and terrorism, sometimes we have strongly divergent interests.
Risks Long Prison Sentence
Joakim Medin was imprisoned in Istanbul a month ago, and earlier this week, he was charged with terrorist offenses and insulting the president.
The first trial, regarding insulting the president, begins in Ankara on Wednesday. Joakim Medin, who according to Dagens ETC will participate via link from the prison, risks twelve years in prison for both charges if found guilty.
Medin denies all allegations and has emphasized that journalism is not a crime.
Peter Wallberg/TT
Björn Berglund/TT
Facts: Swedish Journalist Imprisoned in Turkey
TT
Journalist Joakim Medin traveled to Istanbul on assignment for the newspaper Dagens ETC on March 27 to report on widespread protests in the country, following the arrest of Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu earlier in the spring.
Medin, who has visited Turkey as a journalist several times but has never had problems with the authorities before, was arrested directly at the airport.
He was then transferred to the high-security prison Marmara in Silivri outside Istanbul, where many of Turkey's political prisoners are or have been held. Medin is being held on the same ward as the imprisoned mayor Imamoglu.
On April 23, he was charged with terrorist offenses and insulting the president, which can result in a total of twelve years in prison.
