Lawyer: Serbia hands over asylum-seeker sought by Turkey

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Serbia has extradited a Kurdish political activist who sought asylum in Serbia after fleeing Turkey where he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, a lawyer said Tuesday.

Cevdet Ayaz was taken away Monday afternoon from a center for foreigners where he was staying after his asylum request was rejected by Serbian authorities, lawyer Ana Trkulja told The Associated Press.

"I have information that he is in Turkey," Trkulja said.

Serbian police didn't immediately respond to an AP request for comment.

The extradition defies recommendations by the U.N. Committee Against Torture, which has urged Serbia to refrain from the handover.

U.N. committee chairman Jens Modvig posted a tweet Monday calling on Serbia to "please be aware of your UNCAT obligations."

Serbia's right-leaning government of President Aleksandar Vucic has sought to boost ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who visited the Balkan country in October.

Ayaz was convicted in Turkey of violating the country's constitutional order.