In an incident in 2007, 1st Lt. Canbaz was killed by the remote-controlled mine believed to have been laid by Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists in Hakkari. The Taraf daily recently reported that Canbaz had died as he attempted to defuse the land mine after being ordered to do so by Lt. Col. Dirik.
According to reports that the daily obtained, Canbaz tried to defuse the mine twice before it blew up, despite warnings from other gendarmerie officials. Although the report noted that Dirik’s orders violated military regulations on land mines and other explosives, no charges were filed against him until the documents were sent to Canbaz’s family.
The family petitioned the Van military court and the Gendarmerie General Command (JGK) and learned that no investigation had been launched into the incident. The soldier’s mother, Çınar Canbaz, then filed a case against Dirik at the Van military court. The investigation was completed on May 29, 2009, and military prosecutor Zafer Metin filed a case against Dirik, demanding a 10-year sentence. The case was concluded on June 22 and the court sentenced Dirik to two years, 11 months in prison for causing the death of Canbaz. Commenting on the court ruling, Canbaz’s mother said she is somewhat relieved but would be more relieved if Dirik is expelled from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). Noting that she was expecting the court to hand down a heavier sentence, she said she had done all she could to seek justice. The mother also called on mothers whose sons died in the military to be “more sensitive.”
Canbaz’s lawyer, Atilla Bingöl, said the court is expected to announce its reasoned decision within 15 days and, if the Military Supreme Court of Appeals approves the ruling, Dirik will be expelled from the TSK. Turkey also remembers Lt. Col. Dirik from a 2007 attack in Dağlıca. A PKK raid in the Dağlıca region on Oct. 17, 2007, claimed 16 lives. Eight soldiers were captured by the PKK but later released. The investigation into the Dağlıca attack revealed that the General Staff had been tipped off about the plan nine days ahead of the assault.
Dağlıca Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Dirik had left his battalion at the time of the attack to attend a wedding. His pictures, dancing at the wedding at the time of the attack, were published in national newspapers. According to evidence that surfaced in August 2008, Dirik had e-mailed photos and detailed information about the security of the region to a suspect in the trial of Ergenekon, a clandestine organization involved in plotting a coup. These pictures are now included in the 354th folder of evidence backing a 2,455-page indictment into Ergenekon.
