A Kurdish businessman who was detained in Spain on an INTERPOL Red Notice issued at Turkey’s request has been released by Spanish authorities, according to a special report by the Super Haber news website.
A Turkish prosecutor is seeking the extradition of the businessman who had made shocking allegations about the Turkish government before the May elections.
According to journalist Erk Acarer, who tweeted about the development on Wednesday, businessman Muhammed Yakut’s extradition to Turkey will not take place. Acarer did not provide any sources for his claim.
Seçimden önce sarsıcı itiraflarda bulunan, Delilerin Delisi rumuzlu Muhammed Yakut, İspanya’da serbest bırakıldı. Şu aşamada Türkiye’ye iadesi söz konusu değil!
— Erk Acarer (@eacarer) September 20, 2023
Two weeks ago, Spanish authorities detained Muhammed Yakut in the northern city of Santander on an INTERPOL Red Notice that was issued at Turkey’s request after Yakut made scandalous allegations about the shadowy relations of figures from Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP). Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) reportedly tracked down Yakut and coordinated his detention with Spanish authorities.
Following Yakut’s detention, the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office drafted an extradition request and sent it to the Justice Ministry, which will ultimately request his extradition from Spanish authorities.
Turkish media reported that Yakut’s wife and son were detained and later released under judicial supervision this week.
Before the May elections, Yakut, who is from the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, made revelations on YouTube about AKP figures’ alleged links to shady business deals, black money and mafia-style dealings as well as the murky background of a July 15, 2016 coup attempt.
Yakut’s “Delilerin Delisi” (the craziest of the crazy) YouTube channel became inaccessible after a court order was issued in April.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant for Yakut in May after he released a video making allegations that included claims regarding former finance minister and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son-in-law Berat Albayrak.
The prosecutor issued the arrest warrant for Yakut on charges of “unlawful acquisition and dissemination of personal data” and requested an INTERPOL Red Notice through the Ministry of Justice at the time.
In April journalist Serdar Akinan was detained and released on judicial probation 20 hours after his detention following an interview with Yakut.
Yakut told Akinan that the July 15 coup attempt was staged and that President Erdoğan and members of his government all knew about it in advance.
People challenging the AKP narrative on the failed coup or investigating its background are frequently targeted through judicial action or bans.
The AKP government is notorious for hunting down its opponents abroad through MİT operations and extradition requests.
Although little is known about Yakut, some people likened him at the time to mob boss Sedat Peker, who lives in exile in the United Arab Emirates. Peker vowed to expose the government’s dirty laundry two months before the May 14 parliamentary and presidential elections; however, he has been unable to make good on his promise because he has been forbidden from broadcasting exposés on the internet.