Greek farmer beaten by Turkish asylum seekers is charged with racism

An unprecedented incident happened on Tuesday afternoon in Fera, near the Delta of the Evros on the Greek-Turkish border, when five Turkish citizens that entered Greece illegally to seek political asylum, attacked a young farmer when he located them and asked them to wait for the arrival of police officers so they could be the asylum seeking process.

According to information from Evros News, the young animal breeder was taken yesterday with the five adult Turks (who were accompanied with three children) to Alexandroupolis court to be tried. The trial however was postponed to Friday and the farmer now faces charges of "illegal physical violence with racist characteristics." The Turks who attacked him and caused serious injuries to various parts of his body are accused of bodily harm and illegal entry into Greece.

However, the accusation under the anti-racism law, which multiplies any sentence, can lead to a severe sentence for the resident of Fera, who, like all his fellow citizens tried to help the police in their arrest of illegal immigrants and found trouble since he may end up in prison, Evros News reported.

Serious injuries and tendon rupture to the farmer

Both the animal breeder and the Turkish asylum seekers who beat him were examined by a medical examiner, and while the diagnosis for them was minor bodily injuries, the young Greek suffered severe bodily injuries to the face and hands from the clash, while he also suffered a ruptured tendon and will probably need surgery. The forensic report is part of the case file.

The police reported that the young farmer had a shotgun, which he holds with a legal license since there is always risk of attack by illegal immigrants entering Greece, and also from Turkish soldiers.

It was revealed that the Turkish asylum seekers not only beat the farmer when he told them to wait for the arrival of police, but they attempted to steal his gun.

After the arrival of the police, the farmer left the scene, but was later informed that he had to appear in the police department, where he was eventually charged with racist attacks against the Turkish illegal immigrants.

It was discovered that the Turkish asylum seekers then contacted their friends in Athens and claimed that they were in possession of a video that they will make public and shows the farmer threatening them with the gun. As of publication, the alleged video has not been released.