News reports yesterday said that Erdoğan had instructed his lawyers to prepare a criminal complaint over an incident broken by the Taraf daily last week in which it was revealed that soldiers on night watch were to use the passphrase “Lowlife prime minister” during their shifts at a military outpost in Balıkesir. The complaint is to be filed against those who signed off on the monthly list of passphrases, which are designated by the Garrison Command Intelligence Unit and change daily. The signatures of Erdek Naval Base Commander Col. Bülent Keçeci and Administrative Base Sgt. Çağrı Güler are on the February passphrase list.
As part of the Turkish General Staff’s investigation into the incident, Güler was taken into custody. The passphrase scandal drew wide media coverage, with many criticizing the inclusion of an insult against the prime minister in soldiers’ military duties. The administration was discomfited by the scandal, with Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek bringing the topic to the agenda during a meeting at the General Staff.
