Four Turks detained by Greek coastguards ask for Turkish officials’ help

MUĞLA – Doğan news agency

The boat has been seized by Greek authorities. DHA Photo

Four Turkish citizens detained one month ago by Greek coastguards while sailing in the Aegean Sea have taken to Twitter to demand help from Turkish officials.

One Turk is under arrest in Greece and the three others have been released on probation. The three released fishermen cannot leave the country due to a ban by the court.

Three Turkish businessmen and a woman who is a sports teacher set sail from the Turgutreis shores of the popular town Bodrum in a luxury boat on June 1. However, the four were soon detained and taken to the island of Kos by Greek coastguards, who reportedly shot at the boat before the detention.

“We were detained by Greek coastguards, who shot at our boat while we were sailing in Turkish waters. We were brought to Greece but we still don’t know what we are charged with. We don’t know when we will return to our country. We are being kept here and are forced to be on vacation. Is there any Turkish official who will listen to our cry and help us,” said diving trainer Murat Bıçak, one of the three businessmen on the boat.

Kaan Camuzcuoğlu, 34, the captain of the boat and the son of Süleyman Camuzcuoğlu, who ran for the Bodrum mayoral office in the March 30 local elections as the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) candidate, was arrested by a court decision in Kos.

Bıçak, 34, Doğan Coşkun, 35, and Cangül Tör, 29, were all released after the payment of 2,000 euros in bail money. However, the court also ruled to ban all three from leaving the country.

“Mr. Minister. I have been kept on Kos for 35 days. Please hear the voice of your citizens,” Bıçak wrote via Twitter, mentioning Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç.