14 retired admirals released on probation

ANKARA

A total of 14 detained admirals who were taken into custody due to their declaration in support of the Montreux Convention were released on April 12 on the condition of judicial control.

Initially, 13 admirals were released on condition of intercity and international travel ban on April. 12.

Admiral Ergun Mengi was initially referred to the criminal court on duty with a request for arrest on late April 12, reportedly on the grounds that he prepared the declaration subject to investigation and that facts were indicating the existence of a strong suspicion of the alleged crime. But after his testimony, Mengi was also released under judicial control.

On April 5, Turkey detained 10 retired admirals for signing a statement in support of the 1936 Montreux Convention, accusing them of conspiring against the constitutional order.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said that arrest warrants had been issued for 10 suspects and had ordered four other suspects to report to Ankara police within three days, opting not to detain them because of their age.

The prosecutor’s office opened a probe on April 4 into the retired admirals on suspicion of an “agreement to commit a crime against the state’s security and constitutional order.”

Before the arrest warrants were issued, the state-run Anadolu Agency said the prosecutor’s office had determined who initiated the open letter.