Turkey’s Defence Minister says Greek court decision on alleged coup soldiers was politically motivated

ISTANBUL

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Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Işık said the Greek legal decision not to extradite eight Turkish soldiers who demanded refuge in Greece, fleeing Turkey after the July 15 coup attempt was not a judiciary but a political decision.

Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Işık said what they expected from “our neighbor Greece” was the eight soldiers’ extradition to Turkey so that they can be tried before the Turkish justice.

Turkey charges the soldiers with playing active roles in the failed takeover bid.

“But unfortunately, at the end of months long trials the decision given by the high court in Greece was a complete disappointment. I say it clearly: this is not a legal decision; this decision was not a legal decision that spreads justice. This is a political decision,” said Işık.    

The Supreme Court of Greece on Jan. 26 rejected the extradition of eight Turkish soldiers who sought political asylum there after the failed July 2016 coup attempt, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

In addition, the court ordered that the officers – two commanders, four captains and two sergeants – be released from police custody.

The soldiers, who had previously stated that their life would be in jeopardy once extradited, will now await decisions on their asylum requests in the country.

The soldiers had flew their helicopter form Turkey to Greece’s Alexandroupolis in the morning of the coup attempt.