Deniz Zeyrek's harsh reaction to the lieutenants' lawyers: 'You lost the case badly! Your arguments turned out to be duds...'

Following the Military Academy graduation ceremony on August 30, 2024, lieutenants Ebru Eroğlu, Batuhan Gazi Kılıç, Deniz Demirtaş, Talip İzzet Akarsu, and Serhat Gündar, who crossed their swords and recited the officer's oath, chanting the slogan "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal," were dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) by a majority vote on the pretext of 'indiscipline'.

After the dismissal decision, the lieutenants went to Anıtkabir to appear before the Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

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The lieutenants' lawyers announced that they would take legal action regarding a photo shared in the media concerning the Anıtkabir visit. The statement included the following: "We will take legal action against the individuals and institutions that enabled the acquisition and dissemination of our clients' personal information and documents through unlawful means."

Nefes newspaper columnist Deniz Zeyrek reacted very harshly to the statement made by the lieutenants' lawyers.

In his column titled "Not the lieutenants', but the Ministry of National Defense's lawyers," Zeyrek stated: "I'm sorry, but you lost the case badly! All the arguments and tactics you put forward from the beginning turned out to be duds. Your attempts to use the lieutenants for professional self-promotion didn't work either."

In the remainder of his column, Zeyrek noted his opinion: "Judging by your absurd attitude toward those supporting the lieutenants, it seems you want to continue this self-promotion during the judicial process as well, but if I were in the lieutenants' shoes, I would start the judicial process by changing my lawyers."

The relevant part of Zeyrek's column is as follows:

"During the investigation process regarding the lieutenants, because the Ministry of National Defense was not transparent, the most important news source for journalists became the lieutenants' lawyers. They, too, always worked for the Ministry of National Defense while implying that they were acting with the reflex of 'protecting the lieutenants'.

While everyone was certain that the lieutenants would be dismissed after the government's statements, they spread the message that the exact opposite decision could be reached.

They made an effort so that a 'dismissal' decision, which was entirely politicized by politicians, would 'not be politicized', and they even accused those who defended the rights and legal standing of the lieutenants of trying to gain political advantage through them.

Finally, they hid the lieutenants' visit to Anıtkabir from the public who wanted to go to Anıtkabir to support them.

Gentlemen are now angry at the phrase in NEFES, 'They went to declare their loyalty to Atatürk in defiance of the government.' Apparently, this headline will weaken their hand in the judicial process!

I'm sorry, but you lost the case badly! All the arguments and tactics you put forward from the beginning turned out to be duds. Your attempts to use the lieutenants for professional self-promotion didn't work either.

Judging by your absurd attitude toward those supporting the lieutenants, it seems you want to continue this self-promotion during the judicial process as well, but if I were in the lieutenants' shoes, I would start the judicial process by changing my lawyers."