The Supreme Court has retained “several obstacles” to the Turkish authorities of Bülent Kenes, notably accused by Ankara of having been an accomplice of the 2016 coup attempt.
MO12345LEMONDE WITH AFP
It was a personal complaint by the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to give his agreement to the entry of Sweden into the organization of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO). But the Swedish Supreme Court rejected, Monday, December 19, Turkey’s extradition request for journalist Bülent Kena.
The High Jurisdiction, in charge of appeals against extraditions, retained “several obstacles” to the delivery to the Turkish authorities of this ex-chief copper, accused by Ankara of having been an accomplice of the attempted coup de coup d’état of 2016 and to be a member of the Gülénist movement.
The Supreme Court noted its status as a refugee in Sweden, the fact that the accusations brought against him are “political crimes” or relating to the security of the Turkish state, and finally the fact that being a member of Movement of the preacher Fethullah Gülen is not reprehensible in Sweden, she details in a press release. “There is also a risk of persecution on the basis of his political convictions. An extradition cannot therefore take place,” said judge Petter ASP.
The former daily editorialist in English in English Teday’s Zaman said he was “happy” with the decision, but accused “Erdogan’s regime” of having “made the accusations” against him. “I am a journalist, not a terrorist,” he said, saying to himself “certain that the diet will use other methods to make my life here as difficult as possible”.
threat blocking
Apart from Hungary which must ratify the membership of Sweden and Finland in early 2023, Turkey is the only country to threaten to prevent NATO membership in the two Nordic countries, decided In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Ankara, Stockholm and Helsinki had signed a memorandum of Agree at the last NATO summit in June, but Mr. Erdogan had again threatened to block the essential ratification the next day.
During a visit to the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Krissels, to convince the Turkish Head of State, the latter had been questioned about the dozens of extraditions claimed by Ankara in the context of the discussions. The Turkish Head of State then had cited only one name as an example: that of Mr. Kena, 53, which he accuses of being a “terrorist”.
The extraditions of Kurdish activists or personalities hostile to the Turkish regime refugees in Sweden are the most delicate point of the requirements made by Ankara. The Swedish government recalls that the justice of the Nordic country is independent, has the last word, and that the decisions already taken cannot be called into question.