Military contractor close to government sues Evrensel newspaper

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SADAT, a private military contractor with close ties to the government, has filed a lawsuit against daily Evrensel and journalist Yusuf Karadaş, accusing them of "damaging its commercial reputation."

The company filed the lawsuit because of an article of Karadaş titled "SADAT, the shady organization of the government."

The article includes allegations about retired Brigadier General Adnan Tanrıverdi, the owner of the company and a former advisor to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

In the statement of claim it submitted to the Büyükçekmece 3rd Penal Court of First Instance in İstanbul, the company alleged that the content of the article qualifies as "a direct attack against the company's personal rights."

The article unfairly created a negative perception about the company and disrupted its commercial activities, according to the petition.

Citing Court of Cassation verdicts, SADAT lawyers alleged that "The defendant's provocative report, which goes beyond the limits of news, is made just for sensationalism, and contains hostile language, constitutes an attack on the client's personal rights."

The company demanded 25,000 lira for non-material damages.

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About SADAT

SADAT Inc. is a military consulting firm based in Turkey. It was founded on February 28, 2012, by retired Brigadier General Adnan Tanrıverdi.

The mission stated by the company is "to establish a Defense Collaboration and Defense Industry Cooperation among Islamic Countries to help Islamic World take the place where it merits among Superpowers by providing Strategic Consultancy, Defense and Security Training and Supply Services to Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces of Islamic Countries."

The company states that it provides services such as military and internal training, defense consultancy, and ammunition purchase in the international arena.

Among the courses of the company, titles such as "Unconventional Warfare (counter-guerrilla)" and "Sharpshooting" draw attention. There are training packages such as "Land Operations", "Sharpshooting", "Protection", "Demolition", "Unconventional Warfare", "Forward Single Man Combat", "Artillery and Mortar Forward Surveillance", "Tank / Armored Vehicle Hunting."

According to reports in the media, the company employs between 50 and 200 retired Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) officers from various branches and specialties.

The company's services include consultancy, training, conventional military training, unconventional military training, special forces training, and army equipment, says its website.

SADAT Inc. has a sibling organization called ASSAM (Justice Defenders Strategic Studies Center), which has a more political focus, and was also founded by Tanrıverdi. ASSAM operates a "strategic research center" and hosts annual contracts.

About Adnan Tanrıverdi

He was appointed as the Chief Advisor to the President in August 2016.

He entered the Military Academy in 1964. He served as a staff officer; Adapazarı 2nd Infantry Division Command, Intelligence Branch Directorate and Vice Chief of Staff; Turkish Military Academy Faculty Member; General Staff Special Warfare Department Logistics and Operations Branch Directorates and Vice Chief of Staff.

He was promoted to Major in 1980. He became Lieutenant Colonel in 1984 and Colonel in 1987.

He was appointed as the Commander of the 8th Corps Artillery Regiment in Malazgirt in 1990 and was promoted to Brigadier General in 1992 while he was in this position.

After serving as the Head of the Health Department in the Land Forces between 1995 and 1996, he was forced to retire in August 1996, during the term of İsmail Hakkı Karadayı as the Chief of General Staff.

After his retirement, he served on the Board of Directors of İhlas Marmara Evleri's Mosque Construction and Aid Association, the timeshare company of İhlas Holding, and Türkiye Newspaper boss Enver Ören.

Since November 2004, he has undertaken the role of the General President of the Association of Justice Defenders (ASDER), which was founded by seven soldiers discharged from the army by the decisions of the Supreme Military Council (YAŞ).

(HA/VK)