Romanian court rules release of woman wanted in Turkey

BUCHAREST, Romania – Romania’s Supreme Court has upheld a decision to release from custody a Turkish woman wanted in Turkey for alleged links to Kurdish militants.

The court on Tuesday upheld an earlier ruling by a court in the western city of Timisoara to release Nalan Oral, who has political refugee status in Belgium, pending an extradition hearing on July 31.

Oral is a Brussels-based activist with the Socialist Women’s Union. Turkey’s Ambassador to Romania, Osman Koray Ertas, said Oral is wanted on alleged links to “a left-wing terrorist group.”

She was arrested at the Romanian border on July 8 because her name appeared on an Interpol list. It has since been removed.

Lawyer Bogdan Burdea told The Associated Press Tuesday’s ruling was “a wise, correct decision.”