Swiss media outlets reported that some Turkish diplomats including Volkan Karagöz, the former Undersecretary of Turkish Embassy in Bern, who were suspended for being members of the Gülenist terror group (FETÖ) have requested asylum in Switzerland.
Volkan Karagöz, who was suspended from the embassy in February, was the only name on the list of asylum seekers that the Swiss Foreign Ministry made public.
The Karagöz dossier reportedly led to unrest in the Swiss parliament, as politicians were not only worried about Turkey's diplomatic and economic sanctions, but also about the possibility of other FETÖ members requesting for asylum.
President of the Foreign Policies Commission, Roland Büchel, warned that if Switzerland gave asylum to Karagöz, the "dam wall" could collapse making way for other FETÖ members.
The Swiss media stated if the government granted asylum to Karagöz, a crisis between Turkey and Switzerland would be inevitable.
Tens of thousands of public sector personnel, including civil servants, teachers, police, judges and prosecutors have been removed from their jobs in the wake of the July 15 coup attempt, which the government has said was carried out by FETÖ members.
FETÖ, led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, is accused of leading the July 15 failed coup attempt and of infiltrating Turkish state institutions, especially the military, police apparatus and judiciary, with the ultimate aim of creating a parallel state.
The deadly coup attempt left 241 people dead and nearly 2,200 injured.
