The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has convicted Bulgaria over returning a Turkish journalist critical of the official position of Ankara back to Turkey without examining his asylum application, BNT reports. The name of the victim has not been reported. He left Turkey after a failed coup attempt in the country and expressed fears of ill-treatment if handed over to Turkish authorities, the Strasbourg Court said.

On the night of October 13, 2016, the journalist who worked for the Zaman newspaper was stopped while trying to cross the Turkish-Bulgarian border in a truck together with more illegal passengers. After repeatedly seeking asylum and international protection, the Turkish journalist was handed over to Turkish authorities on October 16th at the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint. He is currently serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for participation in a "terrorist organization."

Bulgaria was sentenced to pay 15,000 euro to the Turkish citizen.