MoI: ABDULLAH BÜYÜK WAS HANDED OVER TO TURKEY BECAUSE OF INVALID DOCUMENTS

The Turkish businessperson Abdullah Büyük, who was handed by the Bulgarian authorities to Turkey on 10th of August, was interviewed by the police in Erdene. He was examined by local doctors and is expected to be transported to Istanbul. The Turkish authorities alleged him in seeking financing for the organization of the opposition figure and Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the attempted military coup on 15th of July.

Büyük was handed to the Turkish authorities on the basis that his residence permit had expired, no matter that two court instances refused his extradition.

The management of the Ministry of interior gave a press conference on the case.

Expiration of the legally prescribed period in which Abdullah Büyük could reside in the country and invalid documents – this is the reason for which the Directorate “Migration” undertook the enforced administrative measure against the businessman i.e. enforced return to the border, where on 10th of August he was handed over to the Turkish authorities.

Abdullah Büyük entered the territory of Bulgaria in February 2016. Through a check in the Interpol, Bulgaria identified that he used documents that were invalid, i.e. his passport was either lost or invalid. Parallel with this, a request was received by Turkey, again through Interpol, seeking the person to be handed over to the Turkish authorities because he was accused of alleged involvement in terrorism and money laundering.

Meanwhile, Büyük submitted an application to the refugee agency in Bulgaria asking for a status, but immediately after the court ruled not to be extradited, he withdrew the application and since April has not taken any measures to legalise his stay in Bulgaria. Büyük was refused political asylum by the Commission on granting political asylum with the Presidency. On 9th of August, Directorate “Migration” decided to enforce return to the border.

The order for the enforced return to the border is subject to immediate implementation. Abdullah Büyük has the right to appeal it, but this does not stop the implementation of the order.