Six cadets from the Hellenic Air Force Academy (three Greek nationals and three Cypriot nationals) were reportedly arrested outside the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul last Saturday after unfurling Greek flags.
The cadets were on holiday leave for the Christmas season but had failed to inform their superiors of their travel plans abroad, particularly to Turkey, and therefore had not received the required authorization.
When they arrived outside the historic site of Hagia Sophia – a UNESCO World Heritage Monument, which was transformed into a Mosque by the Turkish government in 2020 causing a worldwide outcry – and displayed the flags, they were spotted by members of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and arrested for violating Turkish laws regarding foreign symbols.
Following diplomatic intervention, the cadets were released and returned to Greece, where they are now awaiting disciplinary action.
