Turkish authorities have detained a veteran journalist working for Deutsche Welle, escalating concerns over press freedom in the country.

The journalist, Alican Uludağ, was taken into custody in Ankara on Thursday and later transferred to Istanbul, according to statements from both prosecutors and the broadcaster. He is accused of “disseminating misleading information” and “insulting the president,” charges frequently used against critics of the Turkish government.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation is based on several of Uludağ’s social media posts. He is expected to appear before prosecutors on Friday.

Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany’s state-backed international broadcaster, confirmed that Uludağ was detained at his home, which was subsequently searched by police. Authorities also confiscated computers and other electronic equipment, the broadcaster said.

DW Director General **Barbara Massing** strongly condemned the arrest, calling the accusations unfounded and politically motivated. “This is a deliberate act of intimidation and a clear example of how severely press freedom is being suppressed,” she said in a statement.

According to DW, the case centers on criticism Uludağ posted on X roughly 18 months ago. In the post, he questioned Turkish government decisions that reportedly resulted in the release of suspected Islamic State militants.

Uludağ has worked as a correspondent for Deutsche Welle for several years and is known for his coverage of Turkey’s judiciary and security policies. His detention adds to a growing list of journalists and media workers who have faced legal action in Turkey over their reporting and online commentary.

International press freedom groups have repeatedly warned that Turkey’s broad interpretation of misinformation and defamation laws poses a serious threat to independent journalism. Photo by Christian Wolf (www.c-w-design.de), Wikimedia commons.