HomeA complete list of countries having an extradition agreement with Turkey
Turkey, with its strategic position at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and a complex domestic political situation, is building an extensive network of international legal agreements. In this system, extradition, or the surrender of individuals, occupies a central place. For Ankara, it is a tool with a dual purpose: on one hand, it is a necessary mechanism for combating transnational organized crime and terrorism; on the other hand, it serves as leverage for pursuing political opponents located abroad.
Understanding which countries Turkey has extradition agreements with requires an analysis not only of bilateral treaties but also of multilateral conventions, as well as the complex political context that often nullifies legal formalities.
Why does Turkey need extradition treaties?
For the Republic of Turkey, extradition agreements are the foundation of national security and foreign policy. Firstly, the country has been engaged in a long-standing fight against organizations it has recognized as terrorist, primarily the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Extradition treaties allow for the legal demand of individuals accused of involvement in terrorist acts or armed actions.
Secondly, significant routes of drug trafficking and illegal migration pass through Turkey. Effective combat against organized crime is impossible without cooperation with other countries on the return of fugitive criminals.
Thirdly, after the attempted coup d’état in 2016, Turkish authorities began a mass persecution of individuals associated with the Fethullah Gülen movement (FETÖ), which Ankara considers a terrorist organization. Thousands of alleged members of the movement left the country. Extradition agreements became the main legal tool in attempts to bring them back. This turned the extradition process from a purely criminal matter into a highly political one, especially in relations with Western countries.
How does Turkey regulate issuance
The extradition process in Turkey relies on two main pillars: national legislation and international obligations.
The fundamental national act is Law No. 6706 On International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters, adopted on April 23, 2016. This law codified and systematized previously scattered provisions.
It establishes clear procedures both for requesting extradition from another country and for responding to a request received in Turkey. Key provisions of Law No. 6706:
- Conditions for issuance: The request must be based on an active agreement, the principle of reciprocity, or a multilateral convention.
- The principle of double criminality: The act must be punishable under the laws of both countries, and, as a rule, the term of punishment must exceed one year of imprisonment.
- Grounds for refusal: The law prohibits extradition if the crime is of a political or military nature, if there are serious reasons to believe that the person will be subjected to torture, or if extradition is requested on discriminatory grounds.
- Procedure: Requests go through the Ministry of Justice, but the final decision on the admissibility of extradition is made by the High Criminal Court (Ağır Ceza Mahkemesi).
European Convention on Extradition (1957)
Turkey is a member of the Council of Europe (CoE) and one of the first countries to ratify the European Convention on Extradition of 1957. This is the most important multilateral document for Ankara.
This convention is de facto an extradition treaty of Turkey with all other member countries of the CoE. This list includes almost all European countries, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom (which continues to apply it after Brexit), Sweden, Greece, the Netherlands, and others.
It is this convention that contains Article 3 Political Offenses, which states that extradition will be refused if the crime is considered political by the requested party. This provision has become the main legal shield for European courts refusing Turkey’s requests to extradite political activists, journalists, and alleged members of FETÖ.
List of countries with bilateral extradition treaties
In addition to the European Convention, Turkey purposefully concludes direct bilateral agreements to strengthen cooperation with countries that are not members of the Council of Europe. These treaties often have more specific wording and reflect the special relations between the two states.
Turkey is building its legal assistance network in two ways: through multilateral conventions and through direct bilateral agreements. While the European Convention of 1957 covers most European countries, bilateral agreements are concluded to deepen cooperation with key partners on other continents. Below is a list of countries with which Turkey has signed specific bilateral agreements on extradition and legal assistance (the list is not exhaustive and is constantly updated):
Countries of Asia and the Middle East:
CIS countries and Eastern Europe (not part of the 1957 Convention or having separate agreements):
- Russian Federation;
- Azerbaijan;
- Belarus;
- Kazakhstan;
- Uzbekistan;
- Kyrgyzstan;
- Tajikistan;
- Turkmenistan;
- Georgia;
- Ukraine (the implementation of the agreement is complicated by the current situation);
- Albania;
- Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Countries of America:
- United States of America (USA) (Treaty of 1979);
- Canada (no full agreement, cooperation is limited).
Countries of Africa:
- Algeria;
- Egypt;
- Libya;
- Morocco;
- Tunisia.
Extradition Agreement with the UAE
One of Ankara’s most significant diplomatic breakthroughs was the signing of an extradition agreement with the United Arab Emirates in 2023. This event marked the complete normalization of relations between the two countries, which had been in a state of acute political rivalry for years.
Previously, the UAE, particularly Dubai, was considered a safe haven for many individuals wanted by Turkey, including high-ranking mafia leaders and businessmen accused of financial crimes. The absence of an agreement made any extradition attempt virtually impossible.
The new agreement, ratified by both parties, creates a solid legal basis for cooperation. It covers a wide range of crimes and obliges the parties to cooperate. However, like any modern agreement, it reserves the UAE’s right to refuse if the request is deemed politically motivated or if extradition would threaten the national sovereignty of the Emirates.
Refusals in the EU and human rights
Despite the existence of a legal framework (the 1957 Convention), in practice, Turkey faces an almost one hundred percent rate of refusals in politically sensitive cases from EU member states. This has become a chronic problem in relations between Ankara and Brussels.
The reasons for refusals by European courts (for example, in Germany, Sweden, or Greece) are multifaceted:
- The political nature of accusations: European courts regularly conclude that charges of membership in a terrorist organization or insulting the president are often used to persecute journalists, human rights defenders, and opposition members.
- The lack of a fair trial: After 2016, doubts about the independence of the Turkish judicial system have strengthened in the EU. European courts fear that an extradited person will not have access to fair justice.
- The risk of torture and inhuman treatment: This is an absolute ground for refusal. Referring to reports of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture of the Council of Europe and decisions of the ECHR, courts in EU countries often rule that detention conditions in Turkish prisons and interrogation methods violate the European Convention on Human Rights.
A vivid example was the process of Sweden’s accession to NATO. Turkey used ratification as leverage, demanding that Stockholm extradite dozens of individuals. However, Swedish courts, having reviewed the requests, in most cases refused, citing the political nature of the cases and lack of evidence.
Interpol and Red Notices
When direct extradition does not work, Turkey actively uses the Interpol system, particularly Red Notices. A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition.
International human rights organizations, such as Fair Trials International, have repeatedly accused Turkey of abusing this system. According to their data, after 2016, Turkey sent tens of thousands of requests to Interpol, many of which concerned political dissidents rather than common criminals.
This led to Interpol being forced to strengthen its verification mechanisms. The Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF) began to more thoroughly filter Turkish requests, checking them for compliance with Article 3 of the Interpol Constitution, which prohibits any intervention of a political, military, religious, or racial character. As a result, many requests were rejected or removed from the database. For many individuals caught in this system, the removal of an Interpol Red Notice initiated by Turkey becomes a separate complex legal challenge.
Faced with extradition in Turkey?
Thus, Turkey has one of the widest networks for extradition in the world, including both the multilateral European Convention and a growing list of bilateral agreements. This network allows for effectively combating common criminal offenses.
However, when it comes to politically motivated cases, this system fails. The countries of the European Union and the USA, citing the rule of law and the protection of human rights, systematically block Turkish requests. New allies, such as the UAE, create new opportunities for Ankara, but even these agreements contain standard clauses about political asylum. As a result, the geography of the countries with which Turkey has extradition agreements does not always align with the actual possibility of achieving such extradition.
Questions of extradition and challenging Interpol’s red notices are the most complex legal field, where international law, human rights, and politics intersect. If you or your loved ones are faced with an extradition request from Turkey or have discovered an active red notice, you need to act immediately.
Contact our team of lawyers for a confidential consultation. We specialize in international criminal law and have experience in challenging requests and removing Interpol red notices to protect your rights in various jurisdictions.
