Turkey probes dancers claimed to seek asylum in Hungary

Troupe of 16 folk dancers goes to Hungary, but 11 allegedly sought asylum there and didn't come back

By Halil Ibrahim Avsar and Cankut Tasdan

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey has launched a probe into 11 folk dancers who allegedly asked Hungary for asylum while there for a dance competition, said a statement by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office on Tuesday.

Speaking about the incident, Hayri Gurhan Ozanoglu, the head of Turkey's Folk Dance Federation, told Anadolu Agency: "We learned that 16 folk dancers from the Ankara Children and Youth Folk Dance Society Association went to Hungary to take part in a festival at the beginning of November.

“Eleven of them have not come back."

He added: "After we got that information, we applied to the prosecutor's office" in the capital Ankara.

The Youth and Sports Ministry also asked the prosecutor's office to investigate the incident.

Kaynak: