Turkish soldiers in extradition row seek release from Greek police custody

Record ID: 166515

  • Title: Turkish soldiers in extradition row seek release from Greek police custody
  • Date: 30th January 2017
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JANUARY 30, 2017) (REUTERS) ENTRANCE TO ATHENS ADMINISTRATIVE COURT SIGN ON COURT READING (Greek) GENERAL STATE COMMISSION ATHENS ADMINISTRATIVE COURT FACADE OF COURT BUILDING VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS ON GUARD OUTSIDE COURT POLICE MOTORCADE ARRIVING WITH POLICE VAN WITH TURKISH SOLDIERS INSIDE POLICE ON GUARD AROUND POLICE VAN EIGHT TURKISH SOLDIERS DISEMBARKING FROM POLICE VAN, ENTERING DOORS OF COURT FACADE OF COURT BUILDING POLICE OFFICERS ON GUARD AT COURT ENTRANCE EIGHT TURKISH SOLDIERS EXITING BUILDING UNDER HEAVY POLICE ESCORT POLICE VAN ACCOMPANIED BY POLICE VEHICLES LEAVING COURT POLICE VAN DRIVING DOWN STREET ACCOMPANIED BY POLICE VEHICLES
  • Embargoed: 13th February 2017 11:16
  • Keywords: Turkey Greece relations eight Turkish soldiers coup
  • Location: ATHENS, GREECE
  • City: ATHENS, GREECE
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA001619VK1Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Eight Turkish soldiers caught in an extradition row between Athens and Ankara appeared before a Greek court on Monday (January 30) to challenge an order extending their custody by three months, court officials said.
    The men landed a helicopter in northern Greece in July after the failure of a coup against President Tayyip Erdogan. They requested asylum, saying their lives were in danger at home.
    On January 26 Greece's Supreme Court blocked their extradition, angering Turkey, a NATO ally which alleges the men were involved in efforts to overthrow Erdogan and has demanded they be sent home.
    The men - three majors, three captains and two sergeant-majors - have been kept in custody pending final decisions on their asylum applications in Greece. Immigration authorities extended that custody by three months, on the grounds of public order and national security, but the men are challenging the decision.
    During Monday's closed-door hearing at Athens Administrative Court, the soldiers argued that innocent people should not be held in custody, a court official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A decision is expected in the coming days.
    The extradition case has strained relations between Greece and Turkey, who remain at odd over issues ranging from territorial disputes to ethnically-split Cyprus.
    Turkey wants Greece to reconsider what it said was a politically-motivated decision not to extradite them, and threatened measures including scrapping a bilateral migration deal with Athens.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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