ATHENS
The Greek Council of State decided on Wednesday to provide a right of asylum to former soldiers who had fled Turkey during the defeated coup attempt on July 15, 2016.
Greece's supreme administrative court evaluated Greek government's objection to the right of asylum given by the Greek Asylum Commission to Suleyman Ozkaynakci, one of former Turkish soldiers.
The decision set a precedent for the other seven ex-soldiers; their right of asylum was also approved.
A Greek asylum committee last December accepted the petition of Ozkaynakci, but later the Greek government raised objections.
Ozkaynakci was released briefly after being granted asylum but was arrested again in light of the government’s objections.
Ruling on the objection, the Greek Council of State on April 19 ordered his release under strict control until the results of the asylum petitions of all eight suspected coup-plotters are resolved.
Ahmet Guzel, a second ex-Turkish soldier suspected of involvement in the July 2016 defeated coup, was also released earlier this month.
Following Wednesday's decision, two other former Turkish soldiers, whose maximum detention period of 18 months expired, were also released. They are being kept in a house outside of Athens with Guzel and Ozkaymakci, according to local media.
The remaining four soldiers are also to be released at the end of the month as their detention period will expire, local media reported.
The eight former soldiers will reportedly be able to travel within Europe after being released.
The eight former Turkish servicemen fled to Greece a day after the defeated 2016 Turkish coup. They are accused by Turkish authorities of involvement in the coup and being members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
