HAMZA YALÇIN'S ATTORNEYS REQUEST THE SPANISH COUNCIL OF MINISTERS TO DENY HIS EXTRADITION TO TURKEY
Madrid, September 18, 2017.- The attorneys of Hamza Yalçin have requested in a letter that the Spanish Government consider the denial of his extradition to Turkey without judicial procedure, taking into account the status of asylee and Swedish citizen of the journalist of Turkish origin.
Attached to this letter there have been sent a document from the Swedish Immigration Agency certifying that Hamza Yalçin was granted political asylum by Sweden on 23 February 1987, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention of Geneva Convention of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, and with it a travel document similar to his status. The journalist maintained this refugee status in Sweden because of the serious threats to his rights from Turkey, until he acceded to Swedish nationality in 2006.
The letter emphasizes that Law 4/1985 of March 21, on Passive Extradition states in its article nº 4 that "extradition shall not be granted ... when the petitioner has been granted asylum." Therefore, as set out in the Passive Extradition Act, the status of asylee will be the cause of denial by the Spanish government authorities of the request for extradition.
The International Baltasar Garzón Foundation (FIBGAR) represents Yalçin through the ILOCAD law firm on the grounds that the arrest of the 59-year-old journalist and writer residing in Sweden has violated his rights.