Reaction from the Turkish Orthodox Community to the lieutenants: 'You are either a soldier of Mustafa Kemal or of Venizelos!'

Following the graduation ceremony of the National Defense University Military Academy on August 30, 2024, the lieutenants crossed their swords, recited the officer's oath, and subsequently shouted, "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal."

After pro-government media targeted the lieutenants, AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated, "Who are you drawing these swords against? All necessary investigations regarding these individuals are being conducted, and the few self-important ones among them will be purged."

Following this statement by Erdoğan, Ebru Eroğlu, Batuhan Gazi Kılıç, Deniz Demirtaş, Talip İzzet Akarsu, and Serhat Gündar, who were referred to the High Disciplinary Board with a request for dismissal, along with 3 disciplinary supervisors, Colonel Alper Topsakal, Lieutenant Colonel Halit Türkoğlu, and Major Murat Öztürk, were dismissed from the TSK by majority vote.

The following statement was issued by the Ministry of National Defense:

“Within the scope of the administrative and disciplinary investigations initiated following the images reflected in the public domain after the Military Academy Flag Handover and Graduation Ceremony; the Ministry of National Defense High Disciplinary Board has imposed the 'Separation from the Armed Forces Penalty' on 3 ranking disciplinary supervisors, 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.

There should not be the slightest doubt that in our Turkish Armed Forces, where the priority is the preservation and maintenance of established discipline, no act, incident, or situation contrary to discipline will be tolerated.

Respectfully announced to the public.”

"YOU ARE EITHER A SOLDIER OF MUSTAFA KEMAL OR OF VENIZELOS"

The dismissal of the lieutenants who chanted the "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" slogan from the TSK has caused public outcry.

One such reaction came from the Turkish Orthodox Community.

In a post shared on the Turkish Orthodox Community's social media account, the phrases, "You are either a soldier of Mustafa Kemal or of Venizelos. We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal! #WeStandWithOurLieutenants" were used.