Turkish military dismisses lieutenants, targeted by Erdoğan, for Atatürk chanting during oath ceremony

Duvar English

Turkey’s National Defense Ministry on Jan. 31 dismissed five newly graduated lieutenants for drawing their swords and chanting for the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, during their oath ceremony.

The lieutenants included Ebru Eroğlu (first of her semester), İzzet Talip Akarsu, Serhat Gündar, Deniz Demirtaş, and Batuhan Gazi Kılıç. The ministry also dismissed three of their supervisors, who backed the lieutenants, from the military.

The ministry said, “There should not be the slightest doubt that no action, event or situation contrary to discipline will be tolerated in our Turkish Armed Forces, whose priority is the preservation and maintenance of established discipline.”

During their oath ceremony on Aug. 30, some lieutenants drew their swords and chanted “We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk).” 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized and targeted them after the incident, and said, “Exploiters, to whom are you drawing these swords? It is impossible for them to exist in our army. We are taking steps to (dismiss) them quickly.”

The incident is seen as another conflict between secularism and Islamism.

The lieutenants’ lawyers said the soldiers “expressed their loyalty to the Republic of Turkey and their willingness to give their lives against threats to the Turkish homeland.”

The lawyers said they would apply to the judiciary regarding the “unlawful” decision.

“There was no disobedience of orders during the official ceremony. The official ceremony was carried out in accordance with the ceremony program. The action of our lieutenants took place after the official ceremony was over and no orders were given after the ceremony. In this case, it is clear that there was no such thing as disobeying an order,” the lawyers said. 

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu criticized the decision and said, “Turkey's most successful lieutenants were expelled. Our army is the army of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of this country and our eternal Commander-in-Chief. This decision disrespects the memory of our soldiers who have fought for the unity and integrity of our country since the War of Independence, hurts our veterans, and grieves the bones of our martyrs.”

“We stand by our lieutenants, we will not leave them alone,” he added.

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