Report: At Least Two Turkish Military Officials Seeking Asylum in Belgium

Turkish and Ukrainian generals at NATO headquarters, May 21, 2014At least two Turkish military officials, who were at NATO until they were fired by Ankara in September, are seeking asylum in Belgium, where the alliance has its headquarters. Others have made requests in Germany, where NATO has an air base….

More than 400 military staff and diplomats have been summoned back to Ankara, according to documents seen by Reuters, but some are choosing not to return. They say their colleagues have been imprisoned without charge and have had almost no contact with lawyers or family members….

At least one non-Turkish NATO ally has written to its ministry of defence to defend their purged Turkish colleagues, but have not received a reply. Others plan to do the same, but are reluctant to speak out for fear of alienating the Turkish authorities in Brussels and across the alliance.

Image: Turkish and Ukrainian generals at NATO headquarters, May 21, 2014 (photo: NATO)