In the extradition proceedings against Ecevit Piroğlu from Serbia to Turkey, the final decision is to be made on 18 January. Piroğlu has been politically active since 1992 and worked, among other things, in the Human Rights Association (IHD). Over the years, he has been imprisoned several times in Turkey for his political work. In 2021, he applied for political asylum in Serbia after being accused of terrorism in connection with the Gezi uprising of 2013. Before leaving for Serbia, Piroğlu fought against ISIS in northern Syria. When he landed in Belgrade, he was arrested and went on hunger strike last June. In October, the Court of Appeal in Belgrade overturned a lower court's decision to extradite Ecevit Piroğlu to Turkey. The activist remains in custody, facing at least thirty years in prison in Turkey.

The Freedom for Ecevit Piroğlu campaign demands his immediate release and the recognition of his asylum application. Numerous organisations and individuals are participating in the campaign to stop the extradition.

In a statement on Monday, the campaign stated that, “A new plot has taken place ahead of the final hearing of Ecevit Piroğlu, who has been imprisoned in Serbia for 18 months due to Turkey’s extradition demand.”

The statement by the Freedom for Ecevit Piroğlu campaign reads as follows:

“Following his release on condition of probation from the camp where he was held for months, Piroğlu has been arrested again over baseless reasons. Having no solution other than releasing him since the upper limit of its laws has been exceeded - one year in prison and six months in camp- the Serbian state has launched a new plot.

Piroğlu was arrested shortly after his release on condition of probation.  Piroğlu, who was detained in a new police operation against him in Belgrade, was arrested on baseless and unlawful allegations by the court he was brought to. With this plot against Piroğlu before the extradition hearing to be held on January 18, the Serbian state once again showed that it will insist on illegality and choose to act in favor of the Erdoğan government instead of acting just and in accordance with international agreements.

The international democratic public opinion and related UN institutions should know that Piroğlu, who has no safety of life in Turkey, has no individual rights and freedoms in Serbia too anymore.

Before too late, we call on the democratic public opinion and human rights organisations to frustrate this plot and interfere in this process effectively to free our comrade by January 18.”