The Greek Council of State ruled Wednesday to provide right of asylum to Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ)-linked ex-soldiers who fled Turkey after the failed coup of July 15, 2016.
The Council of State denied an objection to cancel right of asylum to the FETÖ-linked putschist soldier Süleyman Özkaynakçı, approving the Greek government's earlier motion.
The decision serves as a precedent for other cases, thereby granting asylum to the other coup plotters who fled to Greece.
Greek police in April declared Özkaynakçı, who was previously released on April 19, a "No. 1 protected target" and enacted an extreme security plan together with the country's intelligence agency and the anti-terror bureau.
After the July 15 coup attempt, eight soldiers, including two commanders, four captains and two sergeants, escaped to Greece on a Sikorsky helicopter and landed in Alexandroupolis. Following their landing, the eight suspected FETÖ members asked for asylum from Greek authorities.
Before their asylum request was taken to court, a Greek court sentenced the eight men to a suspended two-month jail sentence for illegal entry into Greece.
Ankara has formally requested from Greece the extradition of the FETÖ members who were allegedly behind the coup attempt, to face trial in Turkey.
Greece repeatedly rejected Turkey's extradition requests for the eight soldiers.
Led by U.S.-based imam Fetullah Gülen, FETÖ sought to topple the Turkish government and seize power on July 15, 2016, through a military coup and impose martial law.
The attempt was prevented by military troops loyal to the government, along with police units and millions of Turkish citizens in favor of democracy.
In total 250 people, mostly civilians were killed by pro-coup soldiers, while over 2,000 people were injured.
