Written question No. 668 to the Committee of Ministers | Doc. 13635 | 24 October 2014
Lack of extradition of a suspected assassin from Turkey to Denmark
In February 2013, a Danish historian and author was attacked by a man who, disguised as a postman, tried to shoot him. The attack failed and the assassin escaped. In January 2014, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was informed that the man whom the Danish Police suspected of the attack – a Danish citizen – had been located in Turkey. The Danish authorities asked the Turkish authorities to arrest and extradite the suspect for prosecution in Denmark. The man was arrested in April 2014 in Turkey.
In the beginning of October 2014, the Danish Embassy in Ankara learned that the suspect might have been released but the information was vague. The Turkish authorities were through various channels requested to deliver firm information about the suspect and, in the middle of October, the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs called his Turkish colleague to let him know how politically important the case was for Denmark. On the phone, the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs could neither confirm nor deny the release or provide further details but suggested Denmark to send a delegation of government officials to Ankara to meet with the Turkish Intelligence Service and Ministry of Justice. The Danish delegation stayed two days in Ankara and returned with the Turkish confirmation of the release of the suspect despite the Danish claim for extradition. The delegation was unable to receive any response to the questions when and why the suspect had been released.
On this background, Mr Henriksen,
To ask the Committee of Ministers:
- Does the Committee of Ministers find it acceptable that Turkey has not extradited the Danish citizen, suspected of assassination attempt on another Danish citizen, for prosecution in Denmark but instead released the person in question?
- Does the Committee of Ministers find such a behavior consistent with a State’s obligations as member of the Council of Europe?