STOCKHOLM, Aug 26 (AFP) - Estonia has refused to extradite to Turkey a Swedish citizen and suspected Kurdish militant who is wanted by Ankara for manslaughter, but will send him to Sweden instead, Swedish authorities said on Thursday.
"We have just received notice from the Estonian foreign ministry that he will not be extradited to Turkey but will be sent to Sweden instead," Swedish foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Haakansson told AFP.
"Estonia will not satisfy Turkey's request, because the crimes Turkey accuses (Hemo Heybet) Amedsson of have expired under Estonian laws," Estonian government spokeswoman Kristi Kunnapas said in Tallinn.
Turkish authorities requested earlier this month that Estonia extradite Amedsson, 40, a Swedish citizen who is suspected of belonging to banned Kurdish militant group Kawa and who also figures on an international wanted list.
Turkey has accused Amedsson of eight crimes, including manslaughter, robbery and kidnapping, allegedly committed in 1980.
According to the Committee of Solidarity with Hemo Heybet Amedsson, which has urged Estonia to release him to Sweden, Amedsson is a human rights activist who participated in the struggle for cultural and national rights of Kurdish people until 1980.
In a petition it claims that Amedsson was the only eyewitness of a massacre of 15 people in December 1980 in a Kurdish town. After that Amedsson received asylum in Sweden, which has refused Turkish requests to extradite Amedsson.
"We have been in contact with the Estonian authorities and have communicated our concerns with him being extradited to Turkey.
"We explained why Sweden in the past has refused to extradite him, but this was an independent decision made by the Estonian authorities," Haakansson said, adding that Amedsson would probably be sent to Sweden within a few days.