Croatia’s Constitutional Court halts extradition of Nurettin Oral to Turkey

Croatia’s Constitutional Court has halted the extradition of Nurettin Oral to Turkey, where he is charged with offences arising from his membership of the Kurdistan’s Workers Party (PKK).  The Court determined that the case’s complexity required further examination of Mr Oral’s arguments.

Mr Oral argues that Croatia’s Supreme Court incorrectly found his refugee status in Switzerland to not be a decisive factor, given what he says is Croatia’s overriding obligation under international treaties to recognise that status. He also argues that Turkey’s charges against him are political, that his right to a fair trial would be violated, and that the possible sentence he faces is not proportional to the acts he is charged with.