Ex-Turkish Officials Apply for Asylum in Norway Fearing Prosecution by Ankara

A group of former Turkish officers and diplomats, who had worked in Norway, have asked the Northern European country’s authorities for asylum over fears of being imprisoned or subjected to violence upon return to Ankara, Norwegian media reported Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to the VG newspaper, the Turkish officials then-working in Norway were reportedly asked to return to Turkey after Ankara launched a crackdown on alleged July 2016 failed coup supporters. They have denied having any links to the putsch organizers, but have also refused to leave Norway.

"Today it is impossible to go back. I was fired from work in Norway, my passport has been revoked. If I go back, I will be caught immediately, I risk being tortured and may be forced to give false testimony," one of the former Turkish officials told the edition.

He also cited the example of a friend who allegedly took a chance to return to Turkey from Norway, but was immediately detained and put in prison upon his arrival to Ankara.

The Norwegian Justice Ministry could neither confirm nor deny the information to the paper.

On July 15, a military coup attempt took place in Turkey. Since July, Turkey has detained more than 82,000 military personnel, activists and journalists on suspicion of involvement in the coup activities and arrested 40,000 of them.

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