Turkey condemns local Greek court decision on consulate staff member

ANKARA

The Foreign Ministry condemned the five-year heavy imprisonment sentence ruled by the local Rhodes court of Greece for a contracted staff member of the Turkish Consulate General on the island on the accusation of espionage.

“We condemn the five-year heavy imprisonment sentence announced today by the Mixed Jury Court of the Dodecanese Islands in Rhodes after a three-day trial that began on Dec. 13, 2021, given to the contracted consulate staff member of the Turkish Consulate General in Rhodes on so-called espionage,” the ministry said in a written statement on Dec. 15.

“Baseless” news and comments were published in the Greek press, aiming at pressuring the public opinion and justice following the arrest of the Turkish consulate staff member on Dec. 18, the ministry said.

During the three-day hearing in Rhodes, all the principles of law, including international law and private international law, were “breached,” even the right to defense was “violated due to the procedural violations” of the court, the statement said.

The prosecutor and the panel of judges acted with prejudice, it noted.

The publication of the verdict in the Greek press before it was announced by the court itself once again proved the irregularities in the judicial process, Ankara said.

“All necessary steps in the Greek domestic law and international law will continue to be taken with a view to protecting the rights of our staff,” the ministry said.