Pro-government columnist Cem Küçük's controversial remarks on lieutenants: 'This is a junta attempt, everyone should have been dismissed'

The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) has dismissed five lieutenants from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) for chanting "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" during the Military Academy graduation ceremony.

The Ministry also imposed dismissal penalties on the administrators who supported these lieutenants. However, this decision has drawn significant backlash.

Speaking on the Medya Kritik program broadcast on TGRT Haber, pro-government journalist Cem Küçük argued that all the lieutenants involved should have been dismissed. Küçük stated, "In my opinion, they all should have been dismissed; this is a junta attempt."

Küçük argued that this action was a dangerous "junta attempt," adding, "There are many examples of this." Furthermore, emphasizing that civilian politics must be above everything else in the TSK, Küçük said, "İsmail Hakkı Karadayı had introduced this phrase to the TSK; civilian politics is above everything."

WHAT HAPPENED?

Following the Military Academy graduation ceremony held on August 30, 5 of the lieutenants who crossed their swords and chanted "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" were officially dismissed from the TSK with the announced decision.

In addition to the lieutenants—including the top graduate Ebru Eroğlu, Batuhan Gazi Kılıç, Deniz Demirtaş, Talip İzzet Akarsu, and Serhat Gündar—a "dismissal penalty" was also given to 3 disciplinary superiors: Company Commander Major Murat Öztürk, Battalion Commander Staff Lieutenant Colonel Halit Türkoğlu, and Deputy Regiment Commander Colonel Alper Sarıçam.

The statement issued by the MSB included the following remarks:

"Within the scope of the administrative and disciplinary investigations initiated following the images reflected in the public eye after the Military Academy Flag Handover and Graduation Ceremony; the Ministry of National Defense High Disciplinary Board has imposed a 'Dismissal from the Armed Forces Penalty' on 3 sequential disciplinary superiors, and the Land Forces High Disciplinary Board has imposed the same on 5 lieutenants, in accordance with the mandatory provisions of the Turkish Armed Forces Disciplinary Law, the Regulation on Turkish Armed Forces High Disciplinary Boards, and other aforementioned legislation. In our Turkish Armed Forces, where the priority is the preservation and maintenance of established discipline; there should be no doubt that no action, event, or situation contrary to discipline will be tolerated. Respectfully announced to the public."