21 July 2016•Update: 22 July 2016
By Magda Panoutsopoulou
ATHENS
A Greek court on Thursday sentenced eight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece after last week’s coup attempt to two months in prison for illegally entering the country.
All eight received the same sentence, but the court said it ruled with the recognition that they may have acted under threat.
The pilot was acquitted on charges of violating flight regulations, as were his colleagues on charges of being accomplices to this violation.
Their sentence was suspended for three years, but the soldiers will continue to be held awaiting their applications for political asylum.
The Turks, whose ranks have been identified as two majors, four captains, and two master sergeants, asked for political asylum in Greece after Friday’s failed putsch.
During the coup at least 246 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were martyred in Istanbul and Ankara, and over 1,500 others were wounded as they protested it.
