Armenia has pledged to take “all possible measures” to assist Sevan Nisanian, the outspoken Turkish-Armenian activist who defected to Greece after escaping prison in Turkey in 2017.

The 66-year-old Nisanian is now facing deportation because his Greek residency permit was not renewed and he was placed into custody in Samos, a Greek island, his wife Ira Tzourou said in a social media post. She warned that “Greece is about to make a decision to deport Armenian citizen Sevan Nishanian to Turkey.”

Armenia’s Embassy in Greece said it is following Nisanian’s situation carefully and will assist in any way possible.

Nisanian was charged with illegal construction on his house near Istanbul in 2014 and was sentenced to 17 year in prison. He claims that his sentence was punishment for his outspoken views about restrictions on freedom of expression in the country.

Nisanian escaped from prison while on furlough and went to Greece in 2017.

According to the Greek media reports, Nisanian was arrested on December 30 due to the expiration of his residence status. It is mentioned that a decision will be made to deport Nisanian.

A of Armenia’s Embassy in Greece became acquainted with Nisanian’s detention in Samos.

“Today, the representative of the Armenian Embassy in Greece visited the police department of Samos island where Istanbul-Armenian intellectual Sevan Nisanian is located, got acquainted with the conditions,” the embassy said in a Facebook post on Monday.