Sword-oath ceremony: One of the 5 lieutenants dismissed from the TAF returns to duty, Ministry of National Defense appeals!

Deniz Demirtaş, one of the lieutenants dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces for drawing swords and chanting "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" following the graduation and flag handover ceremony held at the Military Academy in 2024, has returned to duty by court order.

MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE APPEALS

According to a report by Saygı Öztürk from Sözcü, it has been learned that following the decision to reinstate Demirtaş to his rank of lieutenant, the Ministry of National Defense has filed an appeal against the ruling.

The dismissal of the class valedictorian Ebru Eroğlu, along with lieutenants İzzet Akarsu, Serhat Gündar, Batuhan Gazi Kılıç, and Deniz Demirtaş, had sparked public debate. It was reported that the President of the High Disciplinary Board, Lieutenant General Tevfik Algan, and some commanders had voted against the dismissal, but the decision was taken by a margin of 1 vote.

The reinstatement lawsuits filed by Eroğlu, Gündar, and Akarsu are still being heard in different courts. Decisions regarding these cases have not yet been announced.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Ankara 21st Administrative Court had unanimously annulled the dismissal decision issued against Deniz Demirtaş, one of the five lieutenants dismissed from the TAF for drawing swords and chanting "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" after the official graduation ceremony held at the Military Academy.

In the court's decision, it was stated that the act of "engaging in behavior hindering service" attributed to Lieutenant Deniz Demirtaş could not be concretely and clearly demonstrated. Therefore, it was concluded that the dismissal decision of the Ministry of National Defense Land Forces Command High Disciplinary Board, dated January 16, 2025, and numbered 2025/23, was not in accordance with the law.

News Source: 12punto