Swedish journalist Joakim Medin, who was detained in Turkey for seven weeks after being convicted of insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, celebrated his release today, hours after returning to Sweden, Agence France-Presse reported.
"Almost from day one I have been thinking about what I will say now - Long live freedom, freedom of the press, freedom of expression and freedom of movement," he said at a press conference in Stockholm.
Medin, who was in solitary confinement at Silivri Prison in the suburbs of Istanbul, said it "feels so good" to be able to speak as he wants, write and move as he wants.
His wife, Sophie Axelsson, who is expecting their first child, said she received a text message on Thursday announcing his release.
"It's an indescribable relief that this nightmare is over and that Joachim can be by my side when our daughter is born," she said.
The details of the negotiations between Sweden and Turkey are unknown, reports Agence France-Presse.
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Sternergaard said there were no concessions.
"There was no exchange, no demands were made (from Turkey)," the minister said.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson welcomed the journalist, the AP reported, adding that the journalist was released after intensive lobbying by Swedish diplomacy and European partners.
Joakim Medin (40) was arrested on March 27 after arriving in Istanbul, where he had come to report on the demonstrations sparked by the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the Turkish president's main rival.
A journalist for the daily newspaper Dagens ETC has been accused of belonging to a terrorist organization.
"This accusation is based on social media posts, newspaper articles and books written exclusively within the framework of his journalistic activities," Baris Altintas, co-director of the Turkish human rights NGO MLSA, which is defending him, previously told AFP.
The journalist said at the trial that he was just doing his job as a journalist and that he just wanted to get home to support his pregnant wife and see his young daughter.
Nearly 2.000 people were arrested, including numerous students and journalists, during demonstrations over the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul.
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