Greek court holds first hearing of compensation case filed by PKK head Öcalan

A Greek court held its first hearing of a compensation case filed by imprisoned PKK head Abdullah Öcalan against Greece, judicial sources said Monday.

On Dec. 9, 2008, Öcalan accused the Greek government of "illegal treatment and breaching of fundamental human rights", and demanded 20,100 euros ($21,583) as compensation.

In his lawsuit, Öcalan claimed that the Greek government had not fulfilled its commitment to "protect him [Öcalan] and grant him political asylum right".

Cengiz Çicek represented Öcalan as his lawyer during the hearing in Athens. Öcalan's niece and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) parliamentarian Dilek Öcalan also attended the hearing.

The Athens Administrative Court postponed the hearing to Feb. 22, 2016.

In 1999, Athens had granted Öcalan temporary refuge at its diplomatic compound in Kenya. However, when Öcalan chose to go with Kenyan authorities to the airport to catch a flight to Amsterdam, he was captured by Turkish authorities.

Later, Öcalan was sentenced to death for forming armed gangs under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment as the death penalty was abolished in Turkey in 2004.

Ocalan remains incarcerated at a prison in İmrali Island in the Marmara Sea since his capture in 1999.