Turkish FM says over 5,500 Turkish citizens arrested and convicted in 147 countries

ANKARA

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There are currently a total of 5,531 arrested and convicted Turkish citizens in 147 countries, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has stated, responding to a parliamentary question from a main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy.

Çavuşoğlu stated that there are 3,092 arrested and convicted Turkish citizens in Germany, 376 in Greece, 218 in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), 139 in Georgia, 202 in Belgium and Austria, 175 in France, 118 in the Netherlands, 94 in Switzerland, 56 in the U.S., 62 in Denmark, 68 in Romania, 53 in Saudi Arabia, 47 in Russia, 45 in Bulgaria, 33 in the U.K. and 61 in Italy, along with others.

He also said the whereabouts of 58 Turkish citizens between 2008 and 2016 was unknown, in response to a parliamentary question from CHP Istanbul deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu. 

Three out of the 42 citizens who were lost in Greece were later found while 11 citizens in Italy, three in France and Belgium, two in the Bahamas, one in Ireland, one in Saudi Arabia and another in the U.S. remained missing over the same period, he stated.

In addition, a total of 293 Turkish citizens were extradited to the country between 2008 and 2016, according to ministry figures.

Some 51 people were extradited to Turkey in 2008, while 31 were extradited in 2009, 43 were extradited in 2010, 34 were extradited in 2011, 30 were extradited in 2012, 31 were extradited in 2013, 23 were extradited in 2014, 27 were extradited in 2015, and 23 were extradited last year.