ANKARA, Turkey: Turkish authorities on Monday detained 10 former admirals after a group of more than 100 retired senior navy officers issued a statement that government officials tied to Turkey’s history of military coups.
State-run Anadolu news agency said the 10 retired admirals were detained as part of an investigation into the declaration launched by the chief prosecutor in the capital Ankara.
Prosecutors also ordered four other suspects to report to Ankara police within three days, opting not to detain them because of their age.
The former senior military leaders are accused of “using force and violence to get rid of the constitutional order”, the NTV broadcaster reported.
The detentions come a day after an open letter by 110 retired admirals was sharply condemned by the presidential office, which said the move was “reminiscent of coup times” during Turkey’s past.
Prosecutors launched a probe on Sunday into the former top navy officers on suspicion of an “agreement to commit a crime against the state’s security and constitutional order”.
Ankara’s approval last month of plans to develop a shipping canal in Istanbul, comparable to the Panama or Suez canals, opened up a debate about the 1936 Montreux Convention.
Kanal Istanbul (Istanbul Canal) is the most ambitious of what President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls his “crazy projects”, which have seen him building new airports, bridges, roads and tunnels during his 18 years in power.
In their letter released overnight on Saturday, the retired admirals said it was “worrying” to open the Montreux treaty up to debate, calling it an agreement that “best protects Turkish interests”.
The Montreux Convention guarantees the free passage through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits of civilian vessels in times of both peace and war. It also regulates the use of the straits by military vessels from non-Black Sea states.
The waterway between Europe and Asia through the two straits in Turkey is clogged with maritime traffic and has seen several shipping accidents in recent years.
“They [the admirals] should know that our esteemed nation and its representatives will never allow this mentality,” Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter.
The Turkish defence ministry said the text had “no purpose other than undermining our democracy”.
The military, which has long seen itself as the guarantor of the country’s secular constitution, staged three coups between 1960 and 1980.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription
