Schweden liefert kurdische Asylsuchende an die Türkei aus

Es stand zu befürchten und nun bestätigt sich, dass Schweden kurdische Asylsuchende, die auf türkischen Terrorlisten stehen, an Ankara ausliefert:

Sweden on Friday extradited a Kurdish refugee to Turkey as Ankara keeps pressuring the Nordic country to meet its demands in return for NATO membership. The refugee is among dozens of people wanted in Turkey for terror-related charges, according to Turkish state media.  

Sweden and Finland made bids to enter NATO after Russia launched a major military offensive against Ukraine in February. Both Scandinavian countries were already close partners of NATO but by joining it they would gain the support of 30 member countries if attacked by their foe, Russia, or any other country. The military alliance makes its decisions by consensus, meaning that both countries require the blessing of all 30 countries. Only  Turkey refused to vote for the bids.

Sweden and Finland signed a deal with Turkey in June, accepting most of the country’s demands in return for their NATO membership. This includes the extradition a long list of people wanted by Turkey for terror-related charges, including many Kurds. 

Mahmut Tat, a bus driver in Turkey’s Kurdish city of Dersim, sought asylum in Sweden in 2015 after being sentenced at home for six years and 10 months for alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). His name is among those people wanted by Ankara.