. | . |
Sweden to extradite first Turk since NATO row by AFP Staff Writers Stockholm (AFP) Aug 11, 2022 Sweden's government said Thursday it would hand over a Turkish citizen convicted of credit card fraud to Ankara, the first known extradition since Turkey threatened to freeze Stockholm's bid to join NATO. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to block both Sweden and Finland from NATO membership unless they meet several demands, including the extradition of people Ankara considers "terrorists". Erdogan accuses the two countries of being havens for Kurdish militants, specifically highlighting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The man facing extradition was identified in Swedish court documents as Okan Kale, and was convicted in Turkey of credit card fraud in 2013 and 2016. He sought asylum in Sweden in 2011 but his request was denied. He was granted refugee status in Italy in 2014. Kale's name features on a list published in Turkish media of people that Ankara wants extradited from Sweden. The justice ministry would however not comment on whether the man was on a list drawn up by Turkey. It noted that Ankara had sought his extradition in 2021 -- long before the Stockholm's application to join the North Atlantic alliance in May. "This is a regular, routine matter," justice ministry spokeswoman Angelica Vallgren told AFP. "The extradition request was received last year." Kale has been held in Swedish custody since December 2021. In an agreement signed by Sweden and Finland at a NATO summit in Madrid in late June, the two countries agreed to examine Turkish extradition requests "expeditiously and thoroughly". Erdogan said Sweden had made a "promise" to extradite "73 terrorists".
Biden signs ratification of Finland, Sweden NATO bids Washington (AFP) Aug 9, 2022 President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed US ratification of bids by Finland and Sweden to enter NATO, taking expansion of the Western alliance in response to Russia's Ukraine invasion one step closer. Biden said the two northern European countries would become "strong, reliable highly capable new allies" by making the "sacred commitment" to mutual defense in the US-led transatlantic alliance. Earlier this month, the Senate voted 95-1 in favor of the Nordic states' accession, making the United State ... read more
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |