Turkey slammed the decision of Greek Council of State to reject the government’s objection against its earlier ruling that granted right of asylum to Turkish soldiers, who were accused by Turkey of participating in the 2016 coup attempt.
The eight former Turkish soldiers—three majors, three captains and two sergeant majors—flew to Greece by helicopter on July 16, 2016 as the coup attempt crumbled.
“Judicial decisions that defend the putschists mean support for the putsch. The Greek judiciary has sided with the enemies of Turkey and putschists with this decision,” Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party spokesman Omer Celik said in a statement on Aug. 22.
The Greek Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court, accepted last year the asylum request of Suleyman Ozkaynakcı, the co-pilot of the helicopter that was used to flee Turkey.
Despite the Greek government’s objection, the top court released Ozkaynakcı on April 19.
Athens’ final appeal was rejected by the Council of State’s general assembly, which confirmed the ex-soldiers’ right of asylum.
Due to what the court described as lack of evidence, Ozkaynakcı could now be issued a travel document with the ruling that forms a legal precedent.
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