A United Nations court has referred Turkey to the Security Council for failing to release a judge imprisoned for suspected involvement in last year’s failed coup.
The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) had given Turkey until February 14 to release Aydin Sefa Akay, a Turkish national who was due to hear a request for the case of a Rwandan genocide convict to be reopened.
“The government of Turkey has failed to comply with its obligations,” Judge Theodor Meron said in a written ruling Monday. “This matter shall be reported to the United Nations Security Council.”
Akay was one of more than 40,000 people arrested in the aftermath of the failed July coup against President Recep Tayipp Erdogan.
Turkey has alleged the coup attempt was orchestrated by exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen, who lives in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, has denied any role in the attempted overthrow of the Turkish leader.
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