Sweden to extradite self-proclaimed PKK supporter to Turkey amid NATO bid

The move came as NATO-member Turkey continued to hold up Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance.

The man, who had served his prison sentence and was living in Sweden legally, claimed the real reason for his extradition was that he was active in a pro-Kurdish political party and supported a group Ankara considers to be terrorists.

Sweden’s Supreme Court said there were “no obstacles” to his extradition, and that the man was under investigation in Turkey for posting online manipulated photos of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan which is punishable under Turkish laws.

Ankara has accused Stockholm of not doing enough to crack down on members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and others whom it considers extremists.

The military alliance wants to admit Sweden before a summit next month in Vilnius, Lithuania. All existing NATO members must ratify a candidate country’s accession protocol before it can join the trans-Atlantic alliance.

Read more: France 24