Sweden prepares list of 10 PKK members for extradition to Turkey – Reports
ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik – July 11, 2022) Sweden has prepared a list of ten members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for extradition to Turkey after signing a memorandum in Madrid, Turkish TV broadcaster TRT Haber reported on Sunday .
Earlier this week, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said that Ankara had sent a written demand to Sweden and Finland for the extradition of members of the PKK and the organization of the Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen (FETO) who is considered a terrorist by Turkey. The Swedish Ministry of Justice told RIA Novosti about the lack of official documents regarding Turkey’s demands for the extradition of members of organizations recognized as terrorists in this republic.
Between 2019 and 2022, the Swedish government approved three of Turkey’s 16 extradition applications. After the memorandum was signed, however, there were indications that the process was accelerating.
The first signs of these steps appeared in the Swedish media, said TRT Haber.
According to information, the Swedish security service had drawn up a list of 10 PKK members to be extradited.
In mid-May, three months after the Ukraine crisis began, Finland and Sweden submitted their applications for NATO membership, abandoning decades of neutrality. Turkey, which had initially blocked their applications with reference to Helsinki and Stockholm’s support for the PKK, but dropped its objections at the end of June.
On 28 June, Turkey, Sweden and Finland signed a memorandum committing them to full support in combating threats to each other’s security. Turkey said that all its existing fears were raised and withdrew its objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO. The meeting took place in Madrid ahead of the NATO summit.