Deutsche Welle journalist Alican Uludag was released from pre-trial detention on May 21, 2026, after spending approximately 90 days in custody, part of a case accusing him of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and disparaging state institutions through 22 social media posts [1, 2, 3].
Uludag was arrested on February 19 at his residence in Ankara and transferred to detention in Istanbul [4, 2, 3]. His trial began in an Ankara court on May 21, though he appeared only via video link and not in person [4, 1, 2, 3].
The journalist denies all charges, stating, "I have committed no crimes, rather I have only done my job; I have insulted nobody and I demand an acquittal" [1]. He also said, "As an independent journalist I tried to write the truth and to defend the public's right to information. I was frequently threatened, but my conscience is clear" [1]. Uludag described his release as "bittersweet" because some colleagues remain jailed and emphasized his commitment to press freedom [2, 3].
Barbara Massing, Deutsche Welle's Director-General, branded Uludag's arrest a "targeted attempt at intimidation" and demanded an immediate end to the legal proceedings, saying, "Uludag has only fulfilled his duties as a court reporter" [2]. Similarly, Erol Onderoglu from Reporters Without Borders called the detention "arbitrary and inappropriate," adding, "He should not have spent even a single day in detention because of either his reporting or his commentary" [4, 3].
Uludag's lawyer pointed out that even if convicted, the pre-trial detention likely exceeds the possible prison sentence, which is not expected to exceed 90 days [1].
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 18, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The trial will continue as Uludag remains free pending court decisions.
