Interesting that international media is calling him an "activist" whereas he is known as a high-profile criminal in his home country and is on a wanted list for specific criminal conduct.
FYI, 2012 Turkey demanded an unplanned landing of a Syrian PAX plane in Ankara, interrupting a flight between Moscow and Damascus; 2013 the former president of Bolivia Evo Morales had to land in Austria as he was barred from crossing airspace of France and Portugal....many more examples in the past.