Berlin, Germany – Deutsche Welle (DW) announced that Turkish authorities arrested its long-serving Ankara correspondent, Alican Uludağ, in what the broadcaster described as a “deliberate act of intimidation” against independent journalism.
According to DW’s statement, the arrest was carried out in a show of force in front of the journalist’s family. Around 30 police officers escorted Uludağ from his home.
His apartment was searched, and his technical equipment was confiscated. He was then taken to the Istanbul police headquarters to be brought before a judge.
Uludağ faces vague charges including “spreading false information,” “insulting the president,” and “insulting the Turkish nation and state institutions.”
Background of the charges and the journalist’s record
The investigation is based on a post by the journalist on the X platform approximately 18 months ago. In it, he criticized government actions that led to the release of suspected ISIS members. He also accused officials of corruption.
Uludağ specializes in covering human rights abuses and major corruption cases. Furthermore, he received the Raif Badawi Award for Courageous Journalism in 2021 in recognition of his work under difficult circumstances.
Reactions: “Deliberate intimidation”
Deutsche Welle’s director, Barbara Messing, strongly condemned the arrest, stating: “The arrest of a journalist by 30 police officers, as if he were a dangerous criminal, is an act of intimidation and demonstrates the extent of the suppression of press freedom. Uludağ is considered a ‘danger’ by the government because of his strong network of contacts and sources.”
This arrest reinforces international concerns about the state of freedoms in Turkey. Turkey ranks 159th out of 180 countries according to Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index. Furthermore, most media outlets are under direct or indirect government control.
