Land Forces Commander Gen. Işık Koşaner will replace Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ, who is due to retire. The YAŞ meeting, which will also be attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül, is extraordinarily important for Turkey in order to see the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) response to allegations of anti-democratic formations within its ranks. The suspects in the Sledgehammer investigation are not expected to be promoted despite speculation to the contrary. Experts underline that it is impossible for military officers to be promoted while they are under arrest or standing trial.
YAŞ meets every August to discuss promotions and dismissals within the armed forces. Article 65 of the Law on TSK Personnel prohibits the promotion of a military officer if he is on trial.
The 10th High Criminal Court ordered the arrest of 102 suspects in the investigation into the Sledgehammer action plan, a subversive plot allegedly prepared by a clique inside the military that included plans to crash Turkish jets and bomb large mosques during prayer time to undermine the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) with the hope of eventually toppling the government. Among the officers on the to-be-arrested list were two former force commanders as well as nearly 30 active duty generals. If these officers are arrested between now and the YAŞ meeting or even released pending trial, they will not be eligible for promotion.
Yusuf Çağlayan, a retired military judge, says the officers mentioned in various investigations such as Sledgehammer and Ergenekon should be suspended by the Defense Ministry or the Interior Ministry. He says this would also put an end to ongoing speculation over the promotion of these suspects. Retired judge Col. Ahmet Cengiz Tangören underlines that Article 65 of the Law on TSK Personnel is very clear.
Some high-ranking officers who are on trial and who thus evidently cannot be promoted at YAŞ are Vice Adm. Mehmet Otuzbiroğlu, Gen. Nejat Bek, Maj. Gen. Ahmet Yavuz, Maj. Gen. Gürbüz Kaya and Rear Adm. Caner Bener. The suspects are accused of involvement in a failed attempt to destroy Parliament and overthrow the government, a charge that carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
One of the most critical decisions at this year’s YAŞ will be on the new land forces commander. Iğsiz is expected to be promoted to replace Koşaner as the land forces commander but can only serve in this capacity for a year due to his age. He is believed to have given the order to Col. Dursun Çiçek to prepare an action plan to undermine the ruling party and the faith-based Gülen movement. Çiçek’s signature appears on the alleged document.
