22 July 2016•Update: 23 July 2016
By Sinan Polat
ANKARA
Turkey expects Greece to send back eight fugitive "traitors" who fled following the July 15 failed coup, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday.
"The coup plotters are asking for political asylum. [But] they cannot be included under political asylum.
"What we expect from Greek authorities is that they cooperate [with Turkey] and send these traitors back," Cavusoglu told Turkey's state news channel TRT.
A Greek court on Thursday sentenced the eight Turkish soldiers to two months in prison for illegally entering the country, with the sentences suspended as their asylum requests are evaluated.
"Opponents of Turkey are trying to put pressure on Greek courts in the name of human rights groups. Decisions on this issue cannot be made under pressure. Everything is explicit," Cavusoglu added.
Fetullah Gulen extradition
About Turkey's request for the extradition of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, who is accused of being behind the deadly coup attempt, Cavusoglu also said Turkey expects "concrete results" from the U.S.
Cavusoglu said Turkey's expectations from the U.S. are "clear.”
"We want to bring the ringleader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization [FETO] to Turkey. Our demands from the U.S. are very simple. You cannot hold this person who perpetrated a coup attempt there," he added.
Turkey’s top diplomat also warned that the U.S. should not let Gulen flee to any other country.
Gulen and his followers are also accused of infiltrating critical Turkish state institutions with the aim of creating a "parallel state."
Turkey provided a formal extradition request for Gulen earlier this week. The U.S. is currently reviewing the documents, according to the State Department.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden assured Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in a telephone call Thursday that the extradition request for the FETO leader would be examined closely and as soon as possible.
3-month state of emergency
On the three-month state of emergency announced late Wednesday, Cavusoglu said, "It is for taking necessary steps against traitors who plotted a coup and established a terror structure within the state. It is for guaranteeing freedom and the fundamental rights of the people."
Turkey's parliament Thursday ratified a motion for a three-month state of emergency by a vote of 346-115.
The move came in the wake of the July 15 failed coup, which martyred at least 246 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, and injured more than 2,100 others.
* Diyar Guldogan contributed to this report from Ankara.
