US court delays decision on Cihantimur's extradition

BOSTON

A U.S. court has postponed its decision regarding the extradition request for Timur Cihantimur, who fled Türkiye with his mother after a fatal car accident.

The Boston court said it would delay the ruling until after the parties submit their final written arguments.

During the hearing, the prosecution argued that there is sufficient evidence to warrant Cihantimur’s extradition.

The 17-year-old was involved in a car crash in Istanbul on March 1 that resulted in the death of Oğuz Murat Aci and injuries to four others.

He was reportedly driving without a license.

Following the incident, Cihantimur and his mother, Eylem Tok, fled to Egypt and then to the U.S. The chief public prosecutor's office in Istanbul subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Tok on charges of "protecting the criminal" and for Cihantimur on charges of "negligent homicide and injury."

Türkiye issued an international red notice for both mother and son and requested their extradition in May. The pair were arrested in the U.S. on June 14.

The U.S. State Department previously provided an opinion letter to the prosecutor’s office regarding their extradition, with the cases being tried separately.

Tok was also asked to submit a final written defense within a week during a hearing held on Oct. 9.