Several Turkish Servicemen Want Political Asylum in Germany

[Zarvan]

A number of Turkish servicemen deployed at the NATO base in Rhineland-Palatinate, in southwest Germany, have asked for political asylum, German media report.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – "More than one person" has made such a request, Paul Junker, district administrator in Kaiserslautern told Spiegel on Wednesday.

The exact number of Turkish servicemen and their family members who want political asylum in Germany is unknown. They are allegedly applying over fears triggered by Ankara’s post-coup-attempt crackdown.

According to Spiegel, their applications are being submitted to Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).

About 40 of the hundreds of soldiers stationed at the Ramstein US Air Force Base in Rhineland-Palatinate are from Turkey.

On July 15, a military coup attempt took place in Turkey. It was suppressed the following day. Over 240 people were killed during the coup attempt and an estimated 2,000 were wounded.

Ankara accused Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has been living in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his followers of playing a key role in the coup.

According to the Turkish justice minister, a total of 32,000 military officers, high-ranking civil servants, judges and teachers suspected of being Gulen's supporters have been arrested in Turkey after the failed coup attempt.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/politics/201611171047525614-turkish-servicemen-german-asylum/

 

[Saithan]

I don't blame them, there doesn't seem to be any hint of fair trial in Turkey.

 

[Orez]

I don't blame them, there doesn't seem to be any hint of fair trial in Turkey.

For servicemen ? Generally the low ranked military are not condamned so I don't know why they want aslyum.