Greek court suspends asylum status granted to Turkish serviceman

ATHENS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- An Athens court on Monday temporarily suspended the asylum status granted to one of the eight Turkish military officers seeking refuse in Greece.

"We are not afraid of the independent Greek justice. All we are asking for is our lives not to become part of a political game," the Turkish officers told Greek newspaper Vima (Tribune) through lawyers.

The Athens Administrative Court of Appeals accepted the Greek state's request to temporarily suspend the decision taken by an administrative asylum committee in late December to grant asylum to one of the eight servicemen who fled to Greece on the night of the failed coup attempt in Turkey.

The government's request was accepted on Monday for "reasons of public interest, but also in the interests of the Turkish serviceman," the court said.

The officer will remain in custody with the other seven until final verdicts on their asylum applications are issued.

In January 2017, Greece's Supreme Court ruled against the extradition of the eight men to Ankara where they are branded as traitors.

Since July 2016, the eight officers denied any involvement in the failed coup plot and expressed fear for their safety should they return to Turkey.

Their lawyers said the men intend to bring their case to the Council of State, Greece's top administrative court, if their asylum bids are rejected by appeals courts. Enditem