Listen to the article
DW Türkçe journalist Alican Uludağ formally arrested for ‘insulting the president’
Renowned journalist Alican Uludağ of Deutsche Welle’s Turkish service has been formally arrested on charges of “insulting the president” and “spreading disinformation” following his detention at his Istanbul home earlier this week.
The arrest stems from Uludağ’s December 2024 report for Now TV, which detailed a significant Court of Cassation ruling that overturned severe penalties for several defendants in a high-profile case. Uludağ reported that the court had overturned convictions of six defendants who had been sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment 46 times each, along with an additional 2,604 years in prison.
According to court documents, the İstanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court had originally convicted six individuals of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” and “premeditated murder,” while a seventh defendant received a 12-year sentence for “membership in a terrorist organization.”
The Court of Cassation ruled that the lower court had imposed excessive penalties, arguing that three defendants should have instead been convicted of “membership in a terrorist organization,” one for financing terrorism, and another for aiding an attack. Following this ruling, six of the seven defendants were released on December 12, 2024.
The case took a controversial turn when Turkey’s Directorate of Communications’ Center for Combating Disinformation challenged Uludağ’s reporting. While acknowledging the releases, the government body claimed his report was “disinformative” because the decision allegedly did not apply to the main perpetrators of the attack in question.
Erol Önderoğlu, Turkey’s representative for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), sharply condemned Uludağ’s detention. “At a time when the judiciary has bowed to political pressure, the detention of journalist Alican Uludağ shows that media freedom in Turkey is facing an even more difficult future,” he said. “He was taken into custody simply because his investigations and criticism were uncomfortable. That’s all.”
The arrest comes amid growing international concern about press freedom in Turkey, which ranks among the world’s worst countries for journalist imprisonment according to media watchdog organizations. In recent years, dozens of journalists have faced criminal charges under broadly defined anti-terrorism and anti-defamation laws, with “insulting the president” becoming an increasingly common charge against media professionals critical of the government.
Uludağ, with nearly two decades of experience in journalism, has built a distinguished career as a judicial reporter specializing in human rights violations, corruption cases, and high-profile trials. His work has earned significant recognition, including the Uğur Mumcu Investigative Journalism Award from the Contemporary Journalists Association in 2019, the Political Reporting Award from the Turkish Journalists’ Association in 2020, and the Raif Badawi Award for Courageous Journalism from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in 2021.
Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international public broadcaster, has yet to issue an official statement regarding Uludağ’s arrest, but media freedom organizations worldwide have begun mobilizing support campaigns calling for his immediate release.
This case represents the latest in a troubling pattern of legal actions against journalists in Turkey, where authorities have increasingly weaponized criminal defamation laws to silence critical reporting. Legal experts note that prosecutions for “insulting the president” have increased more than tenfold since 2014, with thousands of cases initiated against journalists, academics, and ordinary citizens.
As Uludağ awaits trial, his case highlights the precarious state of press freedom in Turkey and raises questions about the independence of the judiciary in cases involving criticism of government officials and policies.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
8 Comments
This arrest is deeply troubling and indicative of the broader crackdown on independent journalism in Turkey. Reporting on court decisions, even if critical, should never be grounds for prosecution. I hope Alican Uludağ is released swiftly.
While I understand the need for leaders to be respected, arresting journalists for ‘insulting the president’ is a troubling abuse of power. A free press is essential for holding the government accountable. I hope Turkey reconsiders this prosecution.
Troubling to see another journalist facing charges for simply doing their job. Reporting on court decisions, even if critical, should not be grounds for arrest. I hope this case highlights the need for greater press freedoms in Turkey.
It’s concerning to see another journalist targeted for their reporting in Turkey. Arresting someone for ‘insulting the president’ is a clear violation of free speech and press freedom. I hope this case receives widespread international scrutiny.
This arrest seems like a concerning example of the Turkish government’s efforts to suppress critical reporting and independent journalism. Insulting the president should not be a criminal offense in a democracy. I hope Alican Uludağ is released soon.
While I understand the desire to protect the office of the presidency, arresting journalists for ‘insulting’ the president is an abuse of power and an attack on press freedom. This case highlights the need for greater protections for journalists in Turkey.
Journalists must be able to report on court rulings and government actions without fear of retaliation. This arrest appears to be a concerning example of Turkey’s crackdown on press freedom. I hope Alican Uludağ’s case is reviewed fairly and impartially.
Concerning to see the continued crackdown on press freedom in Turkey. Journalists should be able to report on court rulings without fear of reprisal. The excessive sentences and prosecution of this reporter raise serious questions about the rule of law in the country.