DW correspondent Alican Uludağ arrested again in Turkey over social media post criticising the judiciary

The arrest

Alican Uludağ, the Deutsche Welle (DW) correspondent in Turkey, was arrested again on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, roughly two months after his conditional release from pre-trial detention. His lawyer confirmed that the journalist was taken into custody on Tuesday afternoon and brought to the Ankara public prosecutor's office. Uludağ himself announced the detention on X, writing, "I am being taken into custody."

I am being taken into custody.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated on X that Uludağ is being investigated for "inciting the public to hostility or degradation" and "spreading misleading information." The investigation stems from a post on X in which Uludağ had criticised the Turkish judiciary.

Previous detention and charges

Uludağ was first arrested in February 2026 on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, spreading misleading information, and degrading the Turkish state or its institutions across 22 social media posts. Insulting or degrading the president is a criminal offence in Turkey. One of the posts that triggered the initial investigation involved criticism of the release of suspected Islamic State (IS) fighters, according to DW, and another accused the Turkish government of corruption.

He spent 90 days in the notorious Silivri prison near Istanbul before a court ordered his conditional release on the first day of his trial, 21 May 2026. The charges were upheld, and the trial is scheduled to continue on 18 September, according to his lawyer. Uludağ has consistently denied all allegations, stating after his release that he would continue working as a journalist. "We have only one weapon," he said, "and that is our pen. We will never lay down this pen."

We have only one weapon, and that is our pen. We will never lay down this pen.

## Reactions

DW Director-General Barbara Massing called the renewed arrest "deeply alarming" and said journalistic work must not be criminalised. "Alican has been researching and reporting independently and in the public interest on the judiciary, politics and society in Turkey for many years. We expect his rights to be fully respected, and we also demand a fair trial under the rule of law. Deutsche Welle continues to stand firmly by his side."

The renewed arrest of our colleague Alican Uludağ is deeply alarming. Journalistic work must not be criminalised.

During his previous detention, national and international organisations and political representatives called for his release. Reporters Without Borders stated after his initial release that "he should not have had to spend a single day in detention for his coverage or commentary." The Turkish Journalists' Association (TGC) awarded Uludağ the 2026 Press Freedom Prize in July.

Broader context

Uludağ specialises in reporting on the Turkish justice system and has covered human rights violations, corruption cases, and trials for DW for several years, reaching a wide audience. Tens of thousands of people in Turkey have been prosecuted in recent years for "insulting the president" or similar offences, often based on online posts. Uludağ's X account shows that he has recently shared numerous posts critical of the government. DW confirmed it remains in contact with his lawyers following this latest development.