The Greek Council of State (CoS) has granted asylum to one of the eight Turkish officers who had fled from Turkey in a helicopter on the night of the failed coup attempt on June 15, 2016. The helicopter co-pilot, Suleyman Ozkaynakcim will be free, after the Plenary of the CoS, the country’s highest administrative court ruled in favour of his request for political asylum.

This means the man, who had been under house confinement will be permitted to have travel documents and is completely free to go wherever he wants.
The Plenary Session of the CoS, chaired by Vice President Christos Rammos and Rapporteur of the CoS Diomidis Kyrillopoulos, during a closed-door session, ruled with a strong majority, against former Immigration Policy Minister Giannis Mouzala’s request for the annulment of a previous court decision that granted the Turkish officer asylum based based on the fact that his life was in danger if he returned to Turkey.
This decision of the CoS is also applicable to the other seven officers, who will also receive travel documents. The Turkish officers have expressed the desire to travel to another European country.