Scandalous judicial decision regarding Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu revealed: Insults directed at Eroğlu deemed freedom of expression

Journalist Barış Terkoğlu wrote a striking article regarding the lieutenants who were suspended due to the oath they took at the Military Academy.

Military Academy top graduate Ebru Eroğlu took their traditional oath following the graduation ceremony. The lieutenants chanted, "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" at the graduation ceremony.

Eroğlu and the other lieutenants faced significant backlash from the ruling front due to this stance. The lieutenants are also facing the danger of being expelled from the army.

SCANDALOUS DECISION

Journalist Barış Terkoğlu shared a scandalous judicial decision in his column in Cumhuriyet.

Terkoğlu wrote that Eroğlu, who has been targeted for months, could no longer bear a comment of extreme ugliness and filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office, but that this was "not seen as a crime." Terkoğlu described the ugly 'rape' threat received by Eroğlu and the events as follows:

"They have tied her hands and feet. They have stuffed a rag in her mouth. They are constantly hitting her. And they call this justice.

They only shouted, “We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal.” They only took the graduation oath, which has been a tradition of the TSK (Turkish Armed Forces) for years. Afterward, they were subjected to insults for days. An investigation was opened against them. We learned that the soldiers, including Military Academy top graduate Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu, were referred to the High Disciplinary Board with a request for expulsion.

There are three judicial files in front of me. The subject of all three is insult. I will explain so that you can understand what we are fighting against, how the order that discards Lieutenants like Ebru was established, and what state the institutions of the Republic have been brought to.

RAPE OF A KEMALIST IS PERMITTED!

The first one is about Lieutenant Ebru.

As I said, they were subjected to thousands of insults after the oath ceremony. It was impossible to cope. But one of the things written under her photo made Lieutenant Ebru say, “Enough is enough.” As a young woman, she complained to the prosecutor's office.

You won't see profanity in this column. But since the perpetrator has done it, and since the prosecutor has written what you are about to read, I will write it without shame; may your face turn red, reader: “One wouldn't even f... this, she is such an ugly Kemalist slut, but because she is a Kemalist, I can rape her.”

The prosecutor did not see a crime in this post. On October 21, he issued a decision of non-prosecution. He deemed this insult written under Ebru's photo as freedom of expression, saying, “After all, he didn't write Ebru's name.”

According to the state, saying “I am a soldier of Mustafa Kemal” is a crime, but saying “I can rape a Kemalist soldier” was freedom of expression!

Do not be surprised. In Turkey, a part of the judiciary is delivering justice"

DECISION OVERTURNED

Barış Terkoğlu wrote in his column in Cumhuriyet today that the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had issued a decision of non-prosecution regarding the rape-themed insults directed at Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu.

Following the backlash after the article, the decision of non-prosecution was overturned.

Here is the non-prosecution decision that Turkey is talking about:

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

At the Military Academy graduation ceremony, the lieutenants took their traditional oath and said, "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal." FETÖ and coup implications were made against the lieutenants.

The MHP had initially supported the lieutenants, but MHP Leader Bahçeli targeted the lieutenants and blindsided his party.

Although the Ministry of National Defense initially said there was no investigation opened against the lieutenants, an investigation was opened shortly after.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also reacted to the lieutenants before the investigation was opened, saying, "Who are you drawing these swords against?"

Tele1 also reported that Lieutenant I., who is in training at the Tuzla Infantry School, was referred to the High Disciplinary Board with a request for permanent expulsion.

The number of lieutenants whose expulsion is requested along with Ebru Eroğlu has risen to two.

The lieutenants were referred to the High Disciplinary Board under paragraph C of Article 20 of the Turkish Armed Forces Disciplinary Law.

While Article 20 of the law is titled "Disciplinary offenses requiring the penalty of separation from the Armed Forces," paragraph C is as follows:

“Engaging in behavior that hinders service: Engaging in attitudes and behaviors that will damage the reputation of the State and the Turkish Armed Forces, or committing acts that constitute a serious crime or disciplinary offense.”