Turkey Urged to Release Deutsche Welle Journalist Detained Under Disinformation Law

Deutsche Welle Demands Release of Turkish Investigative Journalist Amid Growing Media Crackdown

German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) and international media rights organizations have issued urgent calls for the immediate release of prominent Turkish investigative journalist Alican Uludag, who was arrested by Turkish authorities on multiple charges related to his reporting.

Uludag, a respected investigative reporter working with DW’s Turkish service, was taken into custody by a large police contingent of more than 30 officers who conducted the arrest at his Ankara home in front of his family. During the operation, authorities searched his residence and confiscated his electronic devices.

According to DW, Uludag faces serious accusations including “insulting the President,” “disseminating disinformation,” and “insulting the Turkish nation, state and institutions.” The charges reportedly stem from a social media post the journalist made approximately 18 months ago on the platform X, formerly Twitter.

In the post, Uludag criticized Turkish government policies that allegedly led to the release of suspected Islamic State terrorists who had been arrested in connection with an attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport. Although Turkish officials have confirmed these releases took place, the Directorate of Communications under the Turkish Presidency accused Uludag of deliberately creating a “false public perception” through his reporting.

“The accusations against our colleague are baseless. Alican Uludag is a well-known investigative journalist who focuses on reporting about corruption,” said Barbara Massing, DW’s Director General, in a statement released Friday. “He is very well connected and has access to important sources. This makes him dangerous to the government, in their eyes.”

The arrest has drawn widespread condemnation from Turkish media organizations and human rights groups, who view it as part of a systematic campaign against independent journalism in Turkey. The Progressive Journalist Association (CGD) issued a forceful statement demanding an end to what they describe as judicial weaponization against the press.

“We call for an end to targeting press and freedom of expression, to portraying journalists as criminals, and to using the judiciary as a weapon against news reporting. We will never tire of saying it: Journalism Is Not a Crime!” the CGD declared.

Uludag’s detention comes amid an increasingly hostile environment for media professionals in Turkey. The country ranks near the bottom of global press freedom indices, placed 159th out of 180 countries in the 2025 Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The deterioration of press freedom in Turkey has accelerated during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s tenure, with hundreds of journalists facing criminal charges, losing their jobs, or being forced into exile. Turkish authorities have shuttered dozens of media outlets following the failed coup attempt in 2016, with many journalists spending extended periods in pre-trial detention.

RSF’s assessment of the Turkish media landscape is stark: “With authoritarianism gaining ground in Turkey, media pluralism is being called into question. All possible means are used to undermine critics.”

The crackdown on independent reporting has had a chilling effect on Turkey’s once-vibrant media ecosystem. Journalists covering sensitive topics such as corruption, national security, or Kurdish issues face particular scrutiny, with many self-censoring to avoid legal repercussions.

International press freedom advocates argue that the vaguely worded charges against Uludag – particularly those related to “insulting” state institutions – represent the type of catch-all accusations frequently employed to silence critical journalism in Turkey.

As diplomatic pressure mounts for Uludag’s release, his case highlights the ongoing tension between Turkey’s constitutional guarantees of press freedom and the increasingly restrictive environment faced by journalists who challenge official narratives.