Eight Turkish soldiers fighting extradition appear at court as decision nears

Record ID: 165319

  • Title: Eight Turkish soldiers fighting extradition appear at court as decision nears
  • Date: 23rd January 2017
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JANUARY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SUPREME COURT JOURNALISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND CAMERAS AT ENTRANCE TO COURTHOUSE WINDOWS OF SUPREME COURT POLICE VAN WITH TURKISH SOLDIERS ARRIVING AT COURTHOUSE ACCOMPANIED BY POLICE VEHICLES DOOR OPENS, EIGHT TURKISH SOLDIERS, WEARING SUITS, DISEMBARK FROM VAN SURROUNDED BY POLICE OFFICERS EIGHT TURKISH SOLDIERS WALK TO COURTHOUSE SURROUNDED BY POLICE OFFICERS, ENTER COURTHOUSE SIGN ON WALL READING (Greek) SUPREME COURT EIGHT TURKISH SOLDIERS LEAVING COURTHOUSE AND ENTERING POLICE VAN SURROUNDED BY POLICE VAN WAITING TO LEAVE COURTHOUSE WITH TURKISH SOLDIERS INSIDE VAN LEAVING COURTHOUSE ACCOMPANIED BY POLICE VEHICLES
  • Embargoed: 6th February 2017 12:32
  • Keywords: Turkey Greece military asylum soldiers coup
  • Location: ATHENS, GREECE
  • City: ATHENS, GREECE
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA00160AXJRB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Greece's Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on Thursday on whether or not to extradite eight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece in a helicopter after a failed military coup in July, the Athens News Agency reported, as the eight men appeared together at the court on Monday (January 23).
    Turkey alleges the soldiers were involved in the July 15 coup attempt against President Tayyip Erdogan and has demanded their swift extradition.
    The men, who deny the accusations and have requested asylum in Greece, say their lives would be in danger at home where authorities are purging large numbers of people from the armed forces and other state institutions.
    A decision had been expected on Monday but the ruling was postponed to Thursday.
    The case has exposed often tense relations between Athens and Ankara, NATO allies at odds over issues from Cyprus to islets and air rights over the Aegean.
    It was taken to Greece's top court after previous court decisions - to extradite three and not extradite five - were contested.
    Should the Supreme Court rule the soldiers must be extradited, their asylum applications will be overridden.
    If it rules against extradition, the soldiers will await decisions on their asylum requests in Greece which are not expected for months.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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