Bulgaria reportedly considering extraditing German national PKK suspect to Turkey

VARNA

Bulgarian judges are considering extraditing a German-Turkish citizen who has been under house arrest in a Bulgarian hotel since Sept. 5, Deutsche Welle reported.

The dual national, identified only as Mehmet Y., was taken into custody upon his arrival with his wife in Varna, a seaside resort in Bulgaria.

He was detained at the airport until Sept. 4 and then taken to a jail in downtown Varna. The next day, he was released and put under house arrest at the hotel where he and his wife were going to spend their holiday. He hasn’t left it since.

Mehmet Y. has been on Turkey’s most-wanted list for nine years after being convicted in absentia of spreading propaganda on behalf of the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S and the EU.

The 44-year-old was sentenced to more than six years in prison by a Turkish court.

Turkey put an Interpol warrant out for his arrest.

On Sept. 11, a court in Varna decided that Mehmet Y. would remain under house arrest at the hotel until judges decide whether to extradite him. They have requested that Turkish officials send documents laying out their case.

When exactly the decision will be made is not clear, according to Deutsche Welle.

If the court does not receive the documents, the suspect will have to be released, his Bulgarian lawyer said.

A representative from the Foreign Ministry told Deutsche Welle that Mehmet Y. has been receiving diplomatic support ever since he was arrested.

However, the representative also said Germany’s government would respect the independence of Bulgaria’s judiciary.