Document of death sentence for Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, May 20, 1920

10 comments

1. “Selanik-born Mustafa Kemal Efendi, who was removed from his position at the Third Army Inspectorate and stripped of his military rank, Istanbulite Kara Vasıf Bey, retired colonel of the Twenty-Seventh Division, Mirliva Salacaklı Fuat Pasha, a former ambassador to Washington and deputy in Ankara, Midillili Alfred Rüstem, a former health director from Istanbul, Doctor Adnan Bey, and Halide Edip Hanım, a former university teacher of Western Literature, were accused of causing unrest and chaos under the guise of ‘Kuvayı Milliye’ (National Forces). They were charged with unlawfully collecting money and recruiting soldiers, torturing those who opposed them, and attempting to disrupt internal security by destroying cities. According to the minutes dated May 11, 1336 (1920), and numbered 20, they were to be stripped of all military and civilian ranks, honors, and titles, and sentenced to death under Article 45, paragraph one, and Article 56, paragraphs four and six of the Mülkiye Penal Code. Since they were fugitives, their assets were to be seized. This verdict, issued in absentia by Istanbul’s top martial law court, was ratified for retrial upon their capture.”

   It was approved by Sultan Mehmet Vahidüddin on 20 May 1920.

2. He started a civil war against the Ottoman rule, there is nothing more natural than him getting convicted of treason.

3. I wish they had caught and executed him.

   *Awaits angry Turkish mob*

4. Yeah, how did that work out for them?

5. Greece would have kept Smyrna if he died

6. And then he changed Turkish alphabet to Latin, so nobody could understand the letter anymore.

7. Wow, that’s an interesting post! I am looking forward to see a normal, civilised discussion about it ☺️☺️☺️☺️

8. Ataturk would turn in his grave if he saw what became of his legacy within the last couple of decades… He was very pro west, equal rights and secular minded and introduced the Turkey we know today to a steep and long lasting modernization.

9. Maybe it’s something that is not well known, but after the Treaty of Sevres, Atatürk fought against states such as England, France, Italy and Greece, as well as the Ottoman Empire. It was the Ankara government led by Mustafa Kemal, not the Ottoman state, that forced the Treaty of Sevres to be broken. For these reasons, there is nothing more natural than the Ottoman Empire seeing a soldier who rebelled against them as a traitor and giving the death penalty.

10. And was it Arabic or Ottoman language?