Sweden’s Supreme Court on Monday opposed the extradition to Turkey of journalist Bulent Kenes, who has been singled out by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his alleged links to the failed 2016 coup and the network headed by exiled cleric Fethula Gulen.
The Supreme Court has argued its refusal on the fact that part of the alleged facts are not covered by the Swedish Penal Code and that they may be «political crimes», in a statement in which it has reviewed a series of «obstacles» to accede to Turkey’s request.
Kenes has been «happy» in statements to the public broadcaster SVT, before a ruling that maintains the line of the Prosecutor’s Office and that adds a new obstacle to the political rapprochement of Stockholm and Ankara in recent months, essential to complete the process of Sweden’s accession to NATO.
In order for Sweden and Finland to complete their NATO membership, ratification needs to be completed by all 30 NATO member states. Hungary has promised to do so in January, while Turkey has not yet set a date.
Erdogan is asking the Swedish authorities for more cooperation in the fight against terrorism – a category into which he puts groups such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the People’s Protection Units (YPG) – but also in general to speed up pending extraditions.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
