Swedish journalist Joakim Medin has been arrested in Turkey on charges of "membership in an armed terrorist organization" and "insulting the president," sparking international concern over press freedom in the country.

Medin, who was in Turkey to cover protests against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, had been out of contact for two days before his arrest was confirmed. Andreas Gustavsson, editor-in-chief of Dagens ETC, expressed alarm over Medin's disappearance, stating that the journalist had been reporting on the escalating political tensions in Istanbul.

The arrest comes amid a broader crackdown on journalists in Turkey. Erik Larsson, head of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Sweden, condemned the detention, saying, "Targeting journalists in this way is unfortunately nothing new in Turkey. However, in recent years, the government's tactics have changed, and journalists are being silenced through legislation and internet censorship."

The situation has intensified debates over media freedom in Turkey, particularly after the deportation of BBC correspondent Mark Lowen on March 27. Lowen, detained a day earlier, was expelled without clear explanation, according to the BBC.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that 1,418 people had been detained since March 19, when Mayor İmamoğlu was arrested. Among those detained were numerous journalists covering the protests.

While seven journalists arrested earlier in the week were released by Thursday, they still face charges. The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) confirmed that Yasin Akgül, Kurtuluş Arı, Gökhan Kam, Ali Onur Tosun, Bülent Kılıç, Hayri Tunç, and Zeynep Kuray—who had been reporting on protests in Saraçhane—were freed following legal objections but remain under investigation.

Medin’s case has drawn further scrutiny to Turkey’s treatment of foreign reporters, with press freedom advocates warning of increasing restrictions on independent journalism.

(Sources: Dagens ETC, Reporters Without Borders, BBC, MLSA)