An appeals court in Italy has rejected a request from Turkey that the Kurdish separatist leader, Abdullah Ocalan, be returned to house arrest until Turkey's demand for his extradition is processed.

The court ruled that it was the Italian Justice Minister, Olivero Dilberto, who had the authority to decide whether a detention order should be issued and he had already rejected Turkey's demand.

Mr Ocalan was freed from house arrest in Rome earlier this month.

Turkey wants him to stand trial for what it calls terrorist murders associated with his Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK.

Italian law prevents extradition to countries like Turkey which still has the death penalty.