Greece rejects asylum requests from more Turkish soldiers

Greece has rejected asylum requests from seven of eight Turkish soldiers who fled there after an abortive coup attempt against President Tayyip Erdogan in July, their lawyer said on Tuesday.

The eight Turkish soldiers flew a military helicopter into northern Greece on July 16, hours after a coup attempt by elements of the military in Turkey started unraveling.

Turkey said they were involved in the coup attempt, an allegation the soldiers deny.

Four members of the group were informed on Tuesday their asylum claims had been rejected by a first-instance board, joining another three previously rejected. One of them has lodged an appeal while the asylum board has not issued a decision on the eighth applicant.

In a statement released by their lawyer, Stavroula Tomara, the soldiers said they believed the decision was guided by political expediency. She says they...