A Greek court has rejected Turkey’s request to extradite soldiers accused by Ankara of involvement in the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, according to a December 2016 report.
The soldiers have been facing legal proceedings in Greece after Turkey sought their return.
Stavroula Tomara, a lawyer representing the soldiers, welcomed the decision in remarks to Reuters.
She said the soldiers should not be extradited and that the court had acted fairly.
Turkey has pressed Greece to return the soldiers, accusing them of participating in the coup attempt.
The case has become one of the most closely watched legal disputes between Ankara and Athens since the failed putsch, testing whether Greek courts would accept Turkey’s extradition request amid concerns over due process and the treatment of defendants in post-coup proceedings.
The soldiers’ lawyers have argued against extradition, citing the risk that they would not receive a fair trial if returned to Turkey.
Ankara blames the coup attempt on alleged Gülen movement-linked officers, a claim the movement denies.
The Gülen movement is a transnational civic initiative inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. Ankara designates it as a terrorist organization, while the movement denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity.
