Athens Appeals court rules against extradition of 2 Turkish military officers

Athens' Appeals Court ruled on Thursday against the extradition to Ankara of the final two Turkish military officers who fled to Greece in July, a day after the failed coup attempt in Turkey.

The same court on Monday had issued a similar verdict for the first three of eight Turkish nationals who landed in a military helicopter in the city of Alexandroupolis in northern Greece seeking political asylum.

However, on Tuesday, the court ruled in favor of the extradition of another three of the officers, accepting Ankara's extradition request on charges of involvement in the coup attempt.

All eight defendants have insisted from the outset that they had no idea of the coup attempt, did not participate, and sought refuge in neighboring Greece when their helicopter came under attack.

During the legal process, according to Greek national news agency AMNA, they repeatedly told the Greek judges that they feared for their lives should they be returned home.

During Thursday's hearing, the court's prosecutor Yorgos Voulgaros backed the defendants' plea, arguing there was no guarantee they would receive a fair trial in Turkey or their human rights would be respected.

"We belong to Europe. We defend democracy and human rights," prosecutor Voulgaros said, according to AMNA.

On Wednesday, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called again for the immediate extradition of all eight officers.

The judicial process is expected to drag on for more weeks, according to law experts in Athens.

Athens chief prosecutor Antonis Liogas' office has already announced that Monday's ruling would be contested before Greece's Supreme Court, while the lawyers for the officers who lost their case on Tuesday said they would appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court and intend to bring the case all the way to the European Court of Justice. Endit