Brazil court rejects Turkey’s extradition request for businessman

BRASILIA, Aug 7 (MENA) - Brazil’s highest court rejected a request to extradite a Turkish citizen accused by Ankara of terrorism, saying the man would not be guaranteed a fair trial, The Sun Daily reported Wednesday.

The unanimous decision by the Federal Supreme Court means Ali Sipahi can remain in the Latin American country where he has lived for the past 12 years.

Sipahi faced charges in Turkey of belonging to a terrorist organization involved in the failed coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyep Erdogan in July 2016.

The dual Turkish and Brazilian citizen had initially been held in jail, but was freed in May as he awaited the court’s decision.

Sipahi, who owns a restaurant in Sao Paulo and is married and has a child, is involved in the Brazil-Turkey Cultural Center and Turkey-Brazil Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which are connected to Gulen’s “Hizmet” (Service) movement.

Ankara calls Gulen’s Hizmet movement a terrorist group.