Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu speaks out: 'We are not cultists, we are Atatürkists'

The lieutenants who drew their swords and took an oath after the Military Academy graduation ceremony, chanting "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal," continue to remain on the agenda. Most recently, it was alleged yesterday that an administrative investigation had been launched into the lieutenants, but this claim was denied by the Ministry of National Defense.

Speaking to Aytunç Erkin from Sözcü, retired Judge Colonel Ahmet Zeki Üçok evaluated the situation regarding the lieutenants who raised their swords and chanted the slogan "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" following the Military Academy graduation ceremony, and subsequently read the oath text. Üçok stated that the Military Academy Commander had called the class valedictorian, Ebru Eroğlu, and other top-ranking lieutenants to his office following the controversy. 

Üçok said the following:

"As far as I know, no investigation has been opened by the Ministry of National Defense so far. Only after these images appeared on social media, the Military Academy Commander called the school valedictorian, Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu, and the others who ranked highly, and had conversations along the lines of, 'Why did you do such a thing? Everyone is talking about these events. You shouldn't have done it.'

'I DO NOT REGRET WHAT I DID'

Lieutenant Eroğlu replied, 'My commander, these things were done in the past as well. Furthermore, everyone is talking about us as being cultists or sectarians. We are Atatürkists. Everyone has seen that we have no connection with any sect or cult. I do not regret what I did.' As I understand it, the school command seems to have opened an internal administrative investigation. I hope this does not evolve into something else just to satisfy social media trolls; we shall see."