Greece rejects seven Turkish coup plotter soldiers’ asylum application
ATHENS
AFP photo
Greece’s political asylum commission on Oct. 11 rejected the asylum application of another four of eight coup-plotting soldiers who escaped to the country after Turkey’s failed July 15 coup attempt, leaving just one more soldier to be reviewed for the process, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.The four soldiers who have had asylum applications rejected by Athens join three other soldiers whose asylum applications were rejected in late September.
Eleni Petraki, an official from Greece’s asylum commission, told the agency that two of the previously rejected three soldiers applied for a reevaluation of their files but they were again rejected on Oct. 11.
Petraki added that the seven coup plotter soldiers had the right to appeal their rejection at the second degree asylum commission.
The two majors, four captains and two non-commissioned officers, escaped to Alexandroupolis near the Turkish border with a military helicopter, one day after the failed coup attempt.
They requested asylum in Greece, while Turkey demanded their immediate extradition on suspicion of involvement in the coup attempt.
In late July, a local Greek court sentenced the eight soldiers to two-month suspended prison terms on charges of illegally entering the country. They were initially transferred to Kavala from Feres prison for security reasons, before eventually being brought to a camp near Athens.
Eleni Petraki, an official from Greece’s asylum commission, told the agency that two of the previously rejected three soldiers applied for a reevaluation of their files but they were again rejected on Oct. 11.
Petraki added that the seven coup plotter soldiers had the right to appeal their rejection at the second degree asylum commission.
The two majors, four captains and two non-commissioned officers, escaped to Alexandroupolis near the Turkish border with a military helicopter, one day after the failed coup attempt.
They requested asylum in Greece, while Turkey demanded their immediate extradition on suspicion of involvement in the coup attempt.
In late July, a local Greek court sentenced the eight soldiers to two-month suspended prison terms on charges of illegally entering the country. They were initially transferred to Kavala from Feres prison for security reasons, before eventually being brought to a camp near Athens.