Our request of extradition regarding the eight putschists who participated in the coup attempt against our democratic constitutional order on 15 July 2016 has been rejected by the Greek judiciary.

We protest this judgement which prevents these individuals who actively participated in the coup attempt which targeted the democratic order in Turkey, killed 248 members of our security forces and civilians, wounded 2193 of our citizens and attempted against the life of our President, to be brought before the independent Turkish judiciary.

The Greek authorities who until today have obstructed the members of the terrorist organisations, primarily the DHKP/C and PKK that have targeted Turkey to be held accountable in front of the justice, have with this decision once more displayed that Greece, an ally and a neighbouring country, refrains from fulfilling the minimum requirements of combatting terrorism and crime.

This attitude of the Greek judiciary, in contradiction with the norms and principles of international law, leaves the perpetrators without punishment and violates the rights of the victims. As a country that has experienced coups in the past, Greece, with this decision has regrettably put itself in a position of a country that provides shelter and protection to putschists.

Our undertakings for the extradition and trial of the perpetrators, by using all legal instruments against this decision of the Greek judiciary, will continue. The implications on our bilateral relations, our cooperation against terrorism and other common cooperation in bilateral/multilateral matters of this decision, which we consider has been taken for political motives, will also be comprehensively evaluated.