Spain should immediately release a dual Turkish-Swedish writer and journalist arrested in Barcelona on an Interpol warrant issued by Turkey, the International Press Institute (IPI) said today, calling it “a troubling new nadir in the Turkish government’s ongoing efforts to criminalise journalism”.

Authorities detained Hamza Yalçin, 59, on Aug. 3 at Barcelona’s airport as he was traveling to London following a holiday in Spain. Turkey reportedly sought his apprehension for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and for alleged links to an outlawed leftist group.