Athens court to review ex-Turkish soldier's asylum

Appeals court agrees to review ruling to grant asylum to ex-Turkish soldier allegedly involved in July 2016 defeated coup

By Mehmet Hatipoglu

ATHENS (AA) - A court in Athens agreed Friday to review the Greek government's request to stay a ruling that granted asylum to a former Turkish serviceman who had fled to Greece after allegedly participating in Turkey's defeated coup.

The former Turkish serviceman was part of a group of eight coup plotters who took a military helicopter from Turkey to Greece hours after the defeated coup bid on July 15, 2016.

After the closed-door hearing lasting 40 minutes, the Athens appeals court said it would hold a final trial in the case on Feb. 15.

According to a ruling by the third Independent Secondary Asylum Committee, Suleyman Ozkaynakci, the co-pilot of the helicopter that was used to flee Turkey, had been granted asylum on Saturday.

The rest of the officers have so far not been granted asylum and are currently being held by Greek authorities until the committee makes a ruling regarding them.

Turkish Foreign Ministry had criticized the asylum decision, saying that Greece "has once again revealed through this decision that it is a country that protects and embraces plotters".

It also criticized Greece for not supporting or cooperating with Turkey as one would expect from an ally in the fight against terrorism and crimes.

Turkish Justice Ministry has sent several extradition requests for the former officers.

On Jan. 26, 2017, the Greek Supreme Court decided not to extradite the officers to Turkey. Turkish Foreign Ministry had called the decision “politically motivated”.

The issue was also discussed when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made an official visit to Greece on Dec. 7, 2017.

Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Kaynak:

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