Sweden’s top court threw a spanner in the diplomatic works Thursday, saying the country should not extradite two men to Turkey.
The planned extradition is part of Sweden’s attempt to placate Turkey in return for its support for Stockholm’s bid to join NATO.
Sweden had urgently requested NATO membership in response to Russia’s Ukraine invasion. Turkey is a long-time member of the US-led security alliance, which requires Ankara’s permission to accept new members.
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Although Sweden’s government has the final word on extraditions, its Supreme Court said the grounds for extradition were weak and that the men faced persecution were they to be sent back.
Turkey has accused the suspects of belonging to the Gülen movement led by the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen. Turkey says Gülen was behind a failed 2016 coup against its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
After a long delay, Erdoğan approved Sweden’s request to join NATO this week. In return, he said, Stockholm had promised to respond to Turkish concerns, including the presence of anti-government dissidents in the Nordic country.
Turkey has accused Sweden before of sheltering terrorists, including members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK.