Sweden agrees to one extradition request from Turkey
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Amid the NATO bid, Sweden's justice ministry says it had agreed to the extradition of Omer Altun, a 29-year-old Turkish citizen sentenced last year by a Turkish court to 15 years in prison.
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The Swedish flag is seen at Gamla Stan, the Old City of Stockholm, Sweden, May 7, 2017. (Reuters)
Sweden announced on Thursday that it would extradite one Turkish national sought by Ankara, going with one of Ankara's key demands for Stockholm's NATO membership accession.
Sweden's justice ministry said it had agreed to the extradition of Omer Altun, a 29-year-old Turkish citizen sentenced last year by a Turkish court to 15 years in prison for "what in Sweden would be the equivalent of fraud."
In further detail, the ministry said the extradition was only approved on the condition that Altun receives a new trial upon his return to Turkey.
"The government shares the Supreme Court's assessment that there is nothing blocking the extradition of Omer Altun to Turkey," it said.
Stockholm has emphasized numerous times that its justice is impartial and has final authority on extraditions.
Under Swedish law, "a Swedish citizen cannot be extradited," it wrote.
One request vs. a long list of conditions
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 28, 2022
While #Turkey had a long list of conditions from #Finland and #Sweden, all the two Nordic states wanted was to join #NATO.
Here's your guide to understanding on what basis the agreement was made. pic.twitter.com/Aw7Jtu7frp
However, at least two Turkish citizens have been extradited from the Scandinavian nation in the last year, but several other requests have been turned down, including one for the former editor-in-chief of the Zaman daily, who Turkey accuses of taking part in a 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's objections to Sweden's NATO membership rest largely on Stockholm's refusal to extradite Turkish nationals that Ankara wants to prosecute for "terrorism".
Turkey is seeking the extradition of more PKK members based in Sweden. Erdogan recently said there were as many as 130 there.
