Czech rejects Turkey's terrorism accusations following Muslim's release

The Czech Republic rejects accusations made by Turkey that it supports terrorism after the release of former Syrian Kurdish leader Salih Muslim on bail, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Czech Republic rejects accusations made by Turkey that it supports terrorism after the release of former Syrian Kurdish leader Salih Muslim on bail, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Irena Valentova, a spokesperson for the Czech Foreign Ministry, denied Turkey’s allegations, stating that Muslim’s detention and release were “handled in line with international law.”

“The Czech Republic strongly rejects any accusations of support of international terrorism,” she said in a statement released by the Ministry.

“Through the decision of the city court in Prague, the Czech Republic has not breached any of its obligations under international law, including those of the European Convention on Extradition,” Velentova added.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson noted that Ankara had 40 days to provide all the relevant documents for an extradition request which would be reviewed by a Czech court before the justice minister makes a final decision.

In an emailed statement to Kurdistan 24, the Czech Consul in Washington DC said that if Muslim “decides to leave the territory of the Czech Republic, the extradition procedure will be terminated without any decision to be taken.”

Muslim was arrested by Czech police on Sunday in Prague’s Marriot Hotel. His detention is believed to be at the request of Turkey who is involved in a military campaign against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syrian Kurdistan’s Afrin.

The YPG is the military wing of the ruling Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Turkey alleges are closely linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

After Muslim’s release, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters that the Czech Republic’s decision was one that “supported terrorism.”