Greek Court rejects Turkish request for extradition of Kurd charged with terrorism

Three-Member Appeals council upheld proposal presented by Prosecutor

The Athens Three-Member Appeals Council ruled against the extradition of Mehmet Dogan, a Turkish national of Kurdish origin to Turkey, after adopting the proposal put forward by Prosecutor Efstathia Kapagianni. According to the Prosecutor’s reasoning, the defendant had already been deemed a political refugee by French authorities and that the Geneva Convention prevailed over the Greek Constitution as well as the state’s extradition responsibilities. She argued that “the refoulement to Turkey was not permissible, as it had already been concluded that his life was in danger and he would suffer torture and inhumane treatment”. Mehmet Dogan is one of nine Turkish nationals of Kurdish origin who was arrested on charges of terrorism in Athens, shortly before Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s visit to Athens.