One of Ankara’s main demands in order to approve Stockholm’s NATO membership is the extradition of Bulent Kenes.
Ankara’s main demand for Stockholm to ratify its NATO membership—the extradition of a Turkish journalist in exile—was rejected by Sweden’s Supreme Court.
Bulent Kenes, the former editor-in-chief of the Zaman daily, was unable to return because of “several hindrances,” the court stated on Monday. Turkey accuses Kenes of taking part in an attempt to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016.
The political nature of the case, some of the charges against Kenes, and the fact that he was granted asylum in Sweden made extradition impossible, the court added.
“There is also a risk of persecution based on this person’s political beliefs. An extradition can thusly not take place,” judge Petter Asp said in a statement.
As a result, “the government … is not able to grant the extradition request”.
‘Fabricated’ allegations
Kenes, who now works for the Stockholm Center for Freedom – an association founde
d by other Turkish dissidents in exile – told the AFP news agency that he was “happy” by the decision and stressed the allegations against him were “fabricated by the Erdogan regime”.
The exiled journalist is the only person Erdogan has identified by name among dozens of people Ankara wants extradited in exchange for approving Sweden’s membership bid.
When pressed about “terrorists” he wanted extradited from Sweden, Erdogan told reporters during a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in early November in Ankara that Kenes was on the list.
Ankara has blocked Sweden’s membership process, with the extradition of Kurdish refugees and other Turkish dissidents the main sticking point.
Stockholm has repeatedly stressed that its judiciary is independent and has the final say in extraditions.
Source: Aljazeera.com