Decision to release Süleyman Özkaynakçı 'shows that Greece protects and shields putschists,' Foreign Ministry says
The Turkish Foreign Ministry slammed a decision by the Greek Council of State, the country’s supreme administrative court, to release a Turkish coup plotter, who is linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), under judicial control.
“This decision shows that the necessary precautions regarding a traitor who engaged in the coup attempt are not taken, and has shown once again that Greece is a country which protects and shields putschists,” a statement released by the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
“We remain committed to the extradition of coup plotters and holding them to account in our country,” the statement added.
A Greek court on Thursday set Süleyman Özkaynakçı free under judicial control. Eight former Turkish servicemen had fled to Greece a day after the defeated 2016 coup in Turkey. They are accused by the Turkish authorities of being coup plotters and members of FETÖ.
The Council of State is expected to make a final decision over the asylum requests of all eight ex-Turkish soldiers on May 4.
FETÖ terrorists are led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, who orchestrated Turkey's July 15 coup attempt and is the mastermind behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
