ISTANBUL (AP) – Turkish authorities announced on Sunday that they have arrested Joakim Medin, a Swedish journalist working for the daily Dagens ETC, who was sent to report on nationwide protests in Turkey. His detention occurred at Istanbul Airport on Thursday, and by Friday, he had been formally arrested on charges including "membership in a terrorist organization" and "insulting the president."

The Turkish Presidency's Communications Department's Counter Disinformation Center stated that Medin's arrest was "not over his journalism activities." However, the center accused him of participating in a rally on January 11, 2023, in Stockholm, which was attended by supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The rally prominently featured an effigy of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The PKK has been engaged in a 40-year insurgency in Turkey, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of lives. Ankara and its Western allies classify the PKK as a terrorist organization. A peace initiative between the Turkish government and the PKK commenced in October, and the PKK declared a ceasefire at the beginning of March following a call from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

Following the Stockholm rally, the Ankara Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation two days later, identifying 15 individuals, including Medin, as having organized, participated in, or reported on the event. The Counter Disinformation Center further claimed that Medin facilitated communication between the PKK and the media.

This incident occurs amidst a broader crackdown on media workers in Turkey, where over a dozen journalists have been detained in the past week while covering the country's largest protests in more than a decade. These protests were organized against the recent arrest of Istanbul's Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.

As Turkey continues to face significant sociopolitical unrest, the situation for journalists operating within the country remains precarious. The involvement of foreign journalists in local controversies, particularly those associated with sensitive issues like the PKK, presents further complications in an already challenging media environment.

With Medin's arrest raising concerns over press freedom in Turkey, the actions taken by Turkish authorities reflect ongoing tensions between the government and the media, as well as implications for international relations, particularly with Sweden.