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35 Turkish diplomats, family members seek asylum in Germany
Original Publication Date: October 23, 2016 8:55PM
Publication Updated: April 27, 2025 10:12AM
BERLIN – Officials say 35 Turkish diplomats and family members have applied for asylum in Germany since the failed military coup in Turkey.
The Turkish government has launched a massive crackdown on people suspected of sympathizing with the U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who it accuses of instigating the coup attempt in July.
German Interior Ministry spokesman Johannes Dimroth declined Monday to say how many of the 35 asylum seekers were diplomats and how many were family members, citing privacy rules.
He also said that since diplomatic status isn’t normally part of the asylum application the actual figure might be higher.
Germany has a large Turkish minority, numbering more than 3 million, due to decades of migration of labourers and Turks claiming persecution at home.
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