ATHENS: Greece’s Sup­reme Court on Monday postponed an expected ruling on whether to extradite eight Turkish officers sought by Ankara over July’s failed military coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A justice source said the decision will be announced on Thursday as one of the presiding judges fell ill.

The case involves eight Turkish military officers who landed a helicopter in the northern Greek city of Alexandroupolis in July, a day after the botched coup against Erdogan.

Earlier in January, Supreme Court prosecutors had argued against sending the officers back to Turkey, citing fears about their safety and rights to an impartial trial.

The officers say that members of their families have been sacked from their jobs and had their passports confiscated.

They deny having taken part in the putsch and claim their lives are in danger.

Their applications for asylum in Greece in July were rejected but appeals are currently being processed.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2017