Recip Tayyip Erdogan

The officers, posted to the U.S. on exchange tours, are stranded after a July coup attempt in Turkey that has led to deep purges. They risk prison if they go home. Washington is in a tough position.

Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says public demand for restoring it can't be ignored. But doing so would hurt Turkey's bid to join the EU.

Turkey has detained or dismissed thousands of people from the government and the military in what many see as the president's attempt to seize even greater powers.