Writers and journalists from Sweden: "Don’t hand over any publisher to Turkey"

Photo: Screenshot from Aftonbladet

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

 Journalists and writers, as well as press and publishing organizations in Sweden, issued a joint statement calling for "Do not hand over any publishers to Erdoğan" after Turkey demanded the extradition of some political exiles who took refuge in Sweden.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asks for the extradition of the political refugees in Sweden to approve Sweden's NATO membership.

According to the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA),"Turkey demands the extradition of over 30 people from the two countries."

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In the joint statement published by the newspaper Aftonbladet of Sweden, it was reminded that Turkey made a series of requests to approve the membership of Finland and Sweden in NATO, and one of these demands was the extradition of journalists, writers, and publishers who took refuge in Sweden.

"It's no secret that President Erdoğan has destroyed democracy and the rule of law is a thing of the past in Turkey," the statement said.

The statement reminded us that businessperson Osman Kavala, for whom the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled for violation of rights and immediate release, was also sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment in the Gezi trial, and attacks took place against journalists Can Dündar and Erk Acarer in Berlin and against Ahmet Dönmez in Stockholm.

The joint statement called for the following:

-Under no circumstances, Sweden can hand over publishers to a regime that tries to silence dissidents beyond its country's borders.

-We see Erdoğan's demand regarding the extradition of people who took refuge in Sweden as an attempt to impose his thoughts on freedom of expression, on Sweden.

- Let's not fall into Erdoğan's trap at this time when Erdoğan is against Sweden's membership in NATO. Under no circumstances we should discuss freedom of expression.

-Stand up for the press and freedom of expression! Stand up for the Kurdish language! Do not hand over publishers who escaped oppression in Turkey."

Signatories:

• Robert Aschberg, President of the Publishers Club
• Kurdo Baksi, Author
• Jesper Bengtsson, President of Sweden PEN
• Anders Q Björkman, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Svenska Dagbladet Cultural Service
• Helena Giertta, Editor-in-Chief of Journalisten
• Göran Greider, Author and Editor-in-Chief of Dala-Demokraten
• Erik Halkjaer, RSF Representative for Sweden
• Alex Haridi, President of the Sweden Playwrights Association
• Ulrika Hyllert, President of the Sweden Journalists Association
• Lisa Irenius, Director of Svenska Dagbladet Cultural Service
• Lisa Nilsson, Musician, artist
• Özz Nûjen, Actress
• Karin Olsson, Director and Associate Editor of the Expressen Cultural Service
• Karin Pettersson, Cultural Director of Aftonbladet
• Agneta Pleijel, Author
• Grethe Rottböll, President of the Sweden Writers' Association
• Björn Wiman, Cultural Director of Dagens Nyheter

(AEK/TB)