Başak Şahin Duman Gets Political Asylum in Croatia

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Croatian courts approved the request for political asylum to Turkish activist Başak Şahin Duman, arrested on May 28, 2012 at Zagreb International Airport on arrest warrant issued by Turkey, after they ruled that her claims that she was persecuted for her political reasons were well founded. The approval papers were presented to Tihomir Mišić, Başak’s Croatian lawyer, last Thursday, July 26.

Başak Şahin Duman (Photo FreeBasak blog)

Başak Şahin Duman is allowed to stay in Croatia and the request for extradition to Turkey will be annulled. According to Rijeka-based Novi List daily, the decision to approve the political asylum was adopted in an extremely short time, having in mind that two months is not a lot in cases like this, and also the fact that the documentation from Turkey arrived just three weeks ago.

Başak Şahin Duman, who waited for the Croatian courts’ rulling in extradition detention centre, was sentenced to six years in prison for her participation in public protests in 2004. She was arrested on basis of so-called “red” arrest warrant issued by Interpol.

Başak and her lawyer immediately appealed the extradition process and simultaneously filed for political asylum. During the extradition hearings, they demanded for asylum to be approved, or to extradite her to a third country in which she didn’t face prosecution (Başak noted Germany as a possibility).

Başak Şahin Duman currently lives in Germany, where she moved before the execution of her prison sentence in Turkey. (Source: H-Alter/Novi list)