Admiral Türker Ertürk is being held in prison for a 36-second speech

Rear Admiral Türker Ertürk is known for the comments he made in the written and visual media after his retirement. Before that, he had a valuable military career... He wore the sailor uniform he wore when he was a little boy until he resigned in 2010: exactly 39 years.

He had a hearing on September 8. He has been in prison since August 17 for two speeches he made, one 9 years ago and the other 3.5 years ago. It was thought that "the current state of evidence regarding the crime charged against the defendant, the time he spent in detention, the amount of punishment prescribed by law for the action, the fact that the evidence has not been fully collected, the judicial control measure will be insufficient at this stage" and it was stated that "his detention will continue". His next hearing is on October 5.

His speech 9 years ago is a speech that should not even be included in the indictment due to the statute of limitations, 19 seconds of which are deemed "objectionable": An evaluation of the US-Iran sanctions relationship over Halkbank. The other broadcast that forms the basis of the case was recorded 3.5 years ago, on the election agenda.

Broadcast records called “evidence” can be accessed at any time; Moreover, after all this time, it was suddenly put into circulation by a few trolls. Far from causing our people to panic today, publications and comments that did not mobilize anyone, did not make anyone anxious, did not panic, or - no offense to our admiral - did not influence anyone, even when the conversations were fresh...

The speeches were repeated in the courtroom, where they were obtained from the organizations where the interviews were held and were monitored. When Türker Amiral's lawyer, Ayhan Yıldızel, told the presiding judge that the entire recording could be watched immediately if deemed necessary, the judge even stated that they already had the recording and was watching it.

This detention and prison process stems from a tiny section from a program made on Tele1; From a 36-second comment made by Türker Ertürk under the conditions of that day! You read that right: a 36-second speech.

It's these 36 seconds that keep the medal-of-honor admiral in prison. A life and career reduced to 36 seconds compared to 39 years actually spent in the Turkish Armed Forces.

Türker Ertürk did not escape during the Ergenekon and Sledgehammer conspiracies; He was one of the 12 admirals who were taken into custody and interrogated in the Montreux Declaration signed by 104 admirals and asked for conviction, but he did not move anywhere. However, the court must have been concerned that the admiral, who had not left the country during all these troubles, might escape this time, because the prosecutor's office expressed an opinion that he should be kept in prison, thinking that "judicial control measures would be insufficient". A few seconds later, the judge announced his decision accordingly.

TURKISH ADMIRAL

His career is the kind that many can only see in movies: Warship Command, Naval Military Attaché, Training Flotilla Commodore, Naval Academy Cadet Regiment Command, Black Sea Regional Command, Naval Academy Command...

Patriot Ertürk's, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's "How happy is the one who says I am a Turk!", which needs to be re-narrated, understood, grasped and strengthened these days. He should also remember that he received the "General Gazi Aslanov Gold Medal of Honor" for his contributions to the Turkish world, and the "Son of the Fatherland Gold Medal of Honor" for his support of Azerbaijan's just cause and struggle in the Karabakh struggle, in his uncompromising march that he continues by adopting the word.

WHAT DOES THE TÜRKER ERTURK CASE MEAN?

The year was 1994. At that time, as Welfare Party Istanbul Provincial Chairman and MKYK Member, President Erdoğan said, "This cruel administration does not deem this beloved nation worthy of even a cup of tea or a bagel!" Six months after his famous speech and one month after he became the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality... Welfare Party Chairman Necmettin Erbakan speaks at the podium: "The Welfare Party will come to power, a fair order will be established. What is the problem: Will the transition period be hard or soft? Will it be sweet or bloody?"

A party chairman used these expressions in a podium speech that could be heard and influenced by millions of people, at a time when the threats of reactionism were being discussed intensively. The next day the headlines appeared as "Erbakan Kanlı spoke". However, no one detained Erbakan, put him in prison, or brought him to court for making this speech when he had so much influence.

Now Admiral Türker Ertürk is in prison for a similar statement. On the election agenda, "The government will change, but with pain but without pain: Everyone must come to their senses: both you and me." because he said…

Nothing can be read here other than the concern of a patriot who has long retired from his profession. It's just an ordinary comment from an educated, enlightened patriot who often reminds us of the universal principles and values ​​he defended throughout his life, reflecting the thoughts of almost everyone who follows the same line. Inside, a former soldier who frequently emphasizes the desire to transition to a parliamentary regime and the strengthening of democracy against remarkable authoritarianism; It is also admirable that he stubbornly talks about the indispensability of democracy, the security of elections and the future.

In his defense, Türker Ertürk states that his words were tweezed and that his purpose was only to share a political observation. However, it is clear that what is not clearly stated in the court minutes is the intolerance shown towards criticism of the government, both in the arrest of Türker Admiral and in the imprisonment of other opponents like me.

As a matter of fact, Türker Ertürk criticizes the mentality that calls Atatürk a "drunkard"; He expresses the need to urgently return to and protect the values ​​of the Republic and the drawbacks of authoritarianism.

However, neither in Turkey nor in any free country in the world, the rhythm of politics and the judiciary should not be determined by the fluctuations of social media and the needs of the conjuncture, just as the President of the Supreme Court of Appeals Ömer Kerkez emphasized in his opening speech of this judicial year.

On the other hand, arrest is no longer a precaution, it is a means of punishment. The Türker Ertürk case simply reiterated this. Keeping a retired admiral, whose homeland is known, who has been speaking on the screens for years and who has no suspicion of escaping, who has not left his country and will never leave it during all the sensitive times, in prison so that the television archives will be examined; It is an indication that the arrest measure has turned into an actual execution.

This case cannot be considered as the trial of only one person. These and similar cases are, in general, barriers established against thinking and freedom of thought, and freedom of the press and information. It is an attempt to intimidate the rest of society through those who stand in the opposition line against the practices of the government, such as Nasuh Mahruki, Deniz Göktaş, Lale Özan Arslan. The government does not want people, who have been considered natural throughout history, to exercise their right to criticize the government, to be criticized, and to be accountable to society.

Moreover, as in the Türker Ertürk case, even a speech of yours that has long been out of circulation, not only today, can constitute a reason for people to be deprived of their freedom. Even the motto "Law cannot be retroactive" can lose its function, and being an opponent increases the possibility of being beaten with a judicial stick all by yourself.

Just as Türker Ertürk said in a publication, quoting the Chinese:

“If the tiger had wings, his evil would have no boundaries.”

However, tigers are undoubtedly much better than human beings who can do these things. There is no winged tiger, but there is limitless evil. And the seconds that hold a whole life captive.