Turkey detains DW journalist Alican Uludag ahead of press freedom trial

Deutsche Welle (DW) correspondent Alican Uludag, held in pre-trial detention in Turkey for three months, will appear in court for the first time on Thursday via video conference, facing charges related to 22 social media posts.

Uludag, arrested at his apartment in Ankara on February 19 and transferred to Istanbul, is accused of publicly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spreading misleading information, and disparaging state institutions. Although he is being held in Istanbul, his trial is taking place in Ankara. Despite his specific request to present his defense in person, Uludag is only allowed to participate in the proceedings via video link.

"I do not admit to any of the charges," Uludag said. He described his arrest as a deliberate attempt to keep him from continuing his work, noting he had previously reported on contradictions in indictments and inconsistencies in key witness testimonies. "I have not strayed from my journalistic work. I believe that the majority of members of the judiciary are themselves concerned about the increasingly politicized proceedings," he said. "I will continue to pursue the truth."

DW Director-General Barbara Massing dismissed the allegations as baseless and called his arrest a "targeted attempt at intimidation," saying his case demonstrated "the extent to which the government is massively repressing press freedom." Massing emphasized that Uludag has an excellent network and access to key sources, adding that from the government's perspective, this is precisely what could make him an inconvenient and potentially dangerous voice.

Erol Onderoglu, Turkey representative for press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said Uludag was being "arbitrarily targeted by a judiciary beholden to those in power." Onderoglu described Uludag as a "serious journalist known for his investigations into matters of public interest" who may have angered those in power with his investigations.

Turkey ranked 163rd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2026 World Press Freedom Index, down four places. According to the Turkish Journalists' Union (TGS), 15 journalists and media workers were in custody as of April 27. Among them is Etkin News Agency reporter Pinar Gayip, arrested on charges of "membership in an armed terrorist organization" and "propaganda for the organization," with the case allegedly involving ties to the banned Marxist-Leninist Communist Party.

Article 217/A of the Turkish penal code, which came into force in 2022 and is often referred to as the "censorship law," criminalizes the "public dissemination of misleading information." Critics argue the provision has had a chilling effect on journalistic work. The TGS has warned that charges such as "disinformation," "insulting the president," and "defamation of state institutions" are routinely used to suppress critical reporting, calling the pattern a structural problem rather than isolated cases.