Greek Parties Support Supreme Court Decision to Refuse Soldiers Extradition

The political parties of Greece have supported the decision of the Greek Supreme Court not to extradite 8 Turkish servicemen who fled to Greece after the coup attempt in Turkey.

ATHENS (Sputnik) – "This was done respecting the Greek and European principles and values," New Democracy's Shadow Foreign Minister Giorgos Koumoutsakos said in a statement obtained by Sputnik.

On Thursday, the court ruled against the extradition, saying that the soldiers, who flew to Greece by helicopter on July 16 and asked for political asylum, cannot expect a fair trial in Turkey. According to the court ruling, the Turkish servicemen are being released from custody and have permission to travel freely within the Greek borders.

The Greek Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza), the liberal-conservative New Democracy (ND) party, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), the centrist and social-liberal To Potami (The River) party, the Union of Centrists and the Communist Party of Greece all supported the Supreme Court decision on Thursday.

A military coup attempt took place in Turkey in July and was suppressed in about one day. Ankara accused Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has been living in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his followers of playing a key role in the coup. Since July, Turkey has arrested hundreds of military personnel, activists and journalists on suspicion of links to Gulen.