The trial for one of the charges, insulting the president, begins as early as next week. In the event of a guilty verdict, Joakim Medin could face three years in prison. The second charge concerns terrorist crimes and membership in organizations such as the PKK and could result in nine years in prison. The date for the trial will be announced on Thursday.
Positive aspect
One positive thing in this drastic sequence of events is that Joakim Medin's lawyers will now gain insight into the investigation, says Andreas Gustavsson.
He and Joakim Medin's wife Sofie Axelsson were informed about the development on Wednesday morning.
As far as I can see, and the lawyers can see, all the evidence concerns journalistic activities. Every single piece of evidence, says Gustavsson.
There is no law that criminalizes journalism in Turkey, he emphasizes.
If Turkey functions as a rule-of-law state, then Joakim will be home soon.
Becoming a father soon
At the same time, it is difficult not to perceive the charges as an escalation. This means that the possibility of a solution being reached through more discreet diplomacy has decreased, assesses Gustavsson.
It's very difficult to assess the situation.
The trial will be open, which means that journalists and embassy staff, among others, will have the opportunity to attend.
Joakim is about to become a father soon. The fact that he will become a father from a cell outside Istanbul feels humanely repulsive. I hope that the charges we are now facing do not mean that Joakim will come home later than we had hoped, says Andreas Gustavsson.
The Minister is concerned
The charges were expected, says Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M).
"We are naturally concerned that Joakim Medin is still being detained. We have taken note of the information that charges will be brought, which was expected. Our work on Joakim Medin's case is now entering a new phase", she says in a text message to TT.
"Our work continues with undiminished strength to ensure that Joakim Medin can be reunited with his relatives as soon as possible."
The industry organization Utgivarna calls the charges deeply disturbing and emphasizes that they concern crimes against press and freedom of expression.
"We demand that the Swedish government acts immediately and protests strongly at the highest level against the treatment of Joakim Medin. Nothing but a release is acceptable", says Utgivarna's CEO Stefan Eklund in a statement.
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 without encountering problems with the authorities, 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 held 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 crimes and insulting the president, which could result in a total of 12 years in prison.
According to previous information, Medin is one of 15 suspects in an investigation that was launched after a doll depicting Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hung outside Stockholm City Hall in January 2023. According to Turkey, the protest was organized by the Kurdish terrorist-stamped organization PKK.
The allegations of terrorist crimes are said to concern claims of membership in organizations such as the PKK.
