Turkey slams Czech court's decision to release Syrian Kurdish leader

ANKARA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkey slammed on Tuesday a decision by a Czech court to release former Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) leader Salih Muslim, saying it is "a mistake" and "politically motivated."

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesperson Bekir Bozdag criticized the Czech court's decision as "a clear support of terrorism."

The ruling was against international law, and would have a negative impact on Turkish-Czech relations, he said.

"Turkey considers the Czech court's decision as null and void," Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said.

"We expects the Czech authorities to correct this mistake," Gul noted.

Muslim was detained on Saturday in the Czech capital Prague upon Turkey's request and its detention order on charges of "disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state."

The Turkish Interior Ministry had offered a bounty of nearly 1 million U.S. dollars on Muslim who is listed as a most wanted terrorist by Ankara.

Turkey regards the PYD as the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been engaged in an armed campaign against the Turkish government since 1984. Enditem