Five lieutenants dismissed over sword oath

Five lieutenants dismissed over sword oath

ANKARA
Five lieutenants dismissed over sword oath

Defense authorities have dismissed five lieutenants from the Turkish Armed Forces after they participated in a controversial sword oath at a National Defense University (MSÜ) graduation.

The Defense Ministry's disciplinary board imposed the same penalty on three disciplinary officers.

“There should be no doubt that in our Turkish Armed Forces, whose priority is the preservation and maintenance of established discipline, no action, incident or situation contrary to discipline will be tolerated,” read a statement from the ministry issued on Jan. 31.

The incident on Aug. 30, 2024, involved several graduating lieutenants gathering after the official ceremony to recite an oath while crossing swords.

Led by valedictorian Ebru Eroğlu, they pledged allegiance to the Turkish Republic, its secular values and territorial integrity, declaring, “We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal [Atatürk].”

Videos of the event circulated widely on social media, triggering political debate. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the act in a later speech, calling the participants “a few presumptuous.”

Ministry sources previously said the students had sought permission for the ceremony seven times but were denied.