The high court, responsible for appeals against extraditions, has retained "several obstacles" to the surrender to the Turkish authorities of this ex-editor-in-chief, accused by Ankara of having been an accomplice in the attempted coup d'etat of 2016 and to be a member of the Gülenist movement.
The Supreme Court noted his status as a refugee in Sweden, the fact that the charges against him were "political crimes" or relating to the security of the Turkish state, and finally the fact that being a member 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 beliefs. An extradition therefore does not take place," Judge Petter Asp said.
Asked by AFP, the former columnist for the English daily Today's Zaman said he was "happy" with the decision but accused "the Erdogan regime" of having "fabricated the charges" against him.
"I am a journalist, not a terrorist," he said, saying he was "sure that the regime will use other methods to make my life here as difficult as possible."
Bülent Kenes on November 10, 2022 near Stockholm (Sweden) © Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP/Archives
Apart from Hungary, which must ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland at the beginning of 2023, Turkey is the only country to threaten to prevent NATO membership of the two Nordic countries, decided in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Ankara, Stockholm and Helsinki had signed a memorandum of understanding at the last NATO summit in June, but Mr. Erdogan had again threatened to block the essential ratification the next day.
During a visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to convince the Turkish head of state, the latter was questioned about the dozens of extraditions demanded by Ankara as part of the discussions.
The Turkish head of state then cited only one name as an example: that of Mr. Kenes, 53, whom he accuses of being a "terrorist".
The extraditions of Kurdish militants or personalities hostile to the Turkish regime who have taken refuge in Sweden are the most delicate point of the demands formulated by Ankara.
The Swedish government emphasizes that the justice of the Nordic country is independent, has the last word, and that the decisions already taken cannot be called into question.
© 2022 AFP
