“Eight Soldier Hostages Arrested as Deterrents”

Retired military judge Kardas criticises the condemnation of the eight soldiers for “not dying”. Journalist Akad sees the arrest of the soldiers after their release as an attempt at deterring further cases of surrender.

Emine Özcan

“Eight Soldier Hostages Arrested as Deterrents”

The soldiers released by the PKK after two weeks were arrested on Sunday (11 November) and are being charged with “insistence on disobedience”, and, in two cases, “desertion abroad”.

Kardas: Others are responsible

Retired military judge Ümit Kardas said: “It is not the eight soldiers who are responsible, but those who gave the soldiers jamming guns, who did not provide intelligence, who did not send support.”

“Why were the eight soldiers arrested? When we look at how the event developed, we do not know the file, the government is not saying anything.”

Kardas: Those responsible should resign

Based on the statements of the soldiers published in yesterday’s (12 November) newspapers, Kardas said: “No intelligence was processed, the guns were not modern, there was no help, no support. Those who have responsibilities need to be held responsible. Those who caused this weakness need to be dismissed from their posts by the General Staff. The Chief of Staff could also accept responsibility and resign.”

Kardas even claimed that the eight soldiers had a right to compensation for physical and mental damages; the state was responsible, but was acting in a manner so as not to loose prestige.

Interpreting the charges against the soldiers, Kardas said: “If domestic security was the issue, if the soldiers had joined the organisation or supported it, then a name could be put to it, but according to the information given, this is not the case. If there had been an enemy country, then the Geneva Conventions would have been applied.”

Kardas also warned that “the social conscience has been injured. The motivation of other soldiers has been affected. People do not want to commit suicide in such a situation. You cannot accuse people, saying, ‘Why did you not die?’ Those really responsible should be called to account.

Akad: Arrest as deterrent

Journalist and writer Mehmet Tanju Akad believes that the soldiers were arrested after their return in order to deter other soldiers from seeing surrender as an option.

“It is normal behaviour to prefer life over death. This is not just about the eight soldiers, this can happen to anyone. This trial will not have a result. The soldiers have been arrested in order to set an example for the others, so that not everyone in a difficult situation becomes a hostage; so that being taken hostage is not considered an option…” (EZÖ/NZ/AG)