Austrian Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz has spoken on the issue of human rights in Turkey as the country tries to extradite Turkish businessman Sezgin Baran Korkmaz, Ahval reports.

The grave state of human rights in Turkey cannot be tolerated, Kurz said ahead of the European Union leaders' summit.

Turkey is demanding the extradition of Korkmaz to bring the businessman to justice in Turkey, while charges of money laundering and fraud have also been brought against him in the United States.

Korkmaz was arrested in Austria and remains under arrest at the request of the United States, pending approval of Washington and Ankara's extradition requests. In an interview with a local news site, the businessman noted that he could not control where he faced trial. “Of course I want to return to my country,” Yolculuk Haber cited him as saying.

As the EU prepares to provide Turkey with an additional 3.5 billion euros in a renewed refugee deal, Deutsche Welle reported, Kurz said that countries hosting refugees should receive support.

“We want refugees to stay in neighbouring countries, and to prevent them from coming to Europe,” the chancellor said.