84 retired admirals summoned to depose over ‘Montreux declaration’

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As part of the investigation launched into the 'Montreux declaration' of 103 retired admirals, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has summoned 84 people to give their statements regarding the issue.

In a written statement released by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office today (May 27), it has been announced that the Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau of the Office has launched an investigation against the people who signed the declaration titled "Montreux declaration from 103 admirals" and against the people who have connections with them, if any.

According to the statement of the Prosecutor's Office, within the framework of the examination carried out on the digital materials seized during previous searches, the statements of the suspects and the evidence obtained by analyzing Historical Traffic Search (HTS) records, 84 suspects have been summoned to depose on charge of "making an agreement to commit a crime against the security of the state and constitutional order."

The statement of the Office has also indicated that an instruction has been addressed to the Ankara Security Directorate regarding the deposition proceedings and the statements have started to be taken.

What happened?

At midnight on April 3, some 103 retired admirals released a declaration concerning the Montreux Convention, the international treaty regulating the status of Turkey's Straits. "The opening of the Montreux Convention to debate as part of Canal İstanbul and the authority of the annulment of international treaties is met with concern," said the joint declaration.

The declaration also mentioned leaked photos showing a rear admiral in Islamic clothes in a home together with the members of who are said to be members of a pro-government religious cult.

Prosecutors in Ankara opened an investigation into the declaration one day later and 10 retired officers were detained on April 5.

On April 5, Ergun Mengi, Atilla Kezek, Alaettin Sevim, Ramazan Cem Gürdeniz, Nadir Hakan Eraydın, Bülent Olcay, Kadir Sağdıç, Türker Ertürk, Turgay Erdağ and Ali Sadi Ünsal were taken into custody.

Engin Baykal, Cemil Şükrü Bozoğlu, Mustafa Özbey and Atilla Kıyat were also summoned to depose at the security directorate.

They were released on probation on April 12.

TESUD 'didn't condemn the declaration'

After the "Montreux declaration" was released by 104 retired admirals in early April 2021, the TESUD and the the Retired Non-Commissioned Officers Association of Turkey (TEMAD) paid a visit to the Ministry of National Defense and the administrators of both associations met Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar and Chief of General Staff Yaşar Güler.

Releasing a statement after the meeting with TESUD and TEMAD, the Ministry of National Defense said, "The administrators of the association indicated that they condemned the related declaration and said that 'it was an action aimed at undermining our unity and solidarity'."

However, the TESUD also made a statement afterwards and said that "no condemning remarks were used regarding the declaration of retired admirals," with "no condemning remarks were used" written in capital letters.

The statement of the association also indicated that the meeting took place upon the invitation of the Ministry of National Defense.

House raids ensued

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office summoned 6 retired admirals and 1 retired general to give their statements as part of the investigation launched into the declaration on Montreux Convention signed by 104 retired admirals and released at the midnight of April 3.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), written notifications were sent to 6 retired admirals and 1 retired general in İstanbul, Muğla, Antalya and Ankara provinces as part of the investigation.

The houses of the retired admirals and the retired general were searched and their digital materials were seized.

TESUD administration dismissed

Releasing a statement about the issue on April 20, the Interior Ministry said that "with their recent statements, the association executives are seen to support the declaration released by 104 retired admirals, their statements have similarities to the declaration of the retired admirals."

"Following the TESUD administrators' statement of support for the declaration of 104 retired admirals, Chief Inspectors and Associations' Auditors were assigned by our Ministry on April 8," the Ministry of Interior said and shared the following information about the result:

"The Administrative Board Chair and the other Administrative Board Members of the Association have been dismissed as a temporary precaution by the approval of the Ministry as per the Article 27 of the Law on Associations no. 5253." (AS/SD)