A Call from Colonel Muzaffer Düzenli to Former General Hulusi Akar: Be Brave, Don’t Be Afraid!

Staff Colonel Muzaffer Düzenli, tried in the Ankara 17th High Criminal Court on charges of membership in the alleged Peace at Home Council (PHC), outlined the violations of rights and legal procedures he faced during the trial. Highlighting that witnesses were not heard and his right to defense was restricted, Colonel Düzenli reminded the court that Article 10 of the Constitution, Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and Article 206 of the Criminal Procedure Code grant the accused the right to summon witnesses and cross-examine both prosecution and defense witnesses under equal conditions. Referring to Hulusi Akar, he emphasized:

“Everyone is equal before the law without discrimination, and the cross-examination of prosecution and defense witnesses under the same conditions is a fundamental right.”

Colonel Düzenli, whose procedural requests were unlawfully rejected in all three courts he was tried in, addressed Hulusi Akar in his defense:

“He acted like a debtor hiding from a tradesman, evading testimony or being shielded from it. If I were in his place—as he claims to have been detained by force, mistreated, and assaulted—I would bravely confront those who did it, speak out without fear, and even shout the truth!”

Major Revelations by Colonel Düzenli Regarding Former General Akar:

“In 2015, Hulusi Akar—then Commander of the Turkish Land Forces—assigned a two-person team to assess the actual condition of units involved in counterterrorism operations and especially to evaluate the true performance of their commanders. No one else was aware of this mission; only Akar and the two assigned individuals knew. Imagine, in a massive Land Forces Command with 1,400 staff, he gave this task to just two people. And now, those two people are being prosecuted under the fabricated title of Peace at Home Council members. This team consisted of me, Muzaffer Düzenli, Director of Institutional Transformation Branch, and Bilal Akyüz, Chief of Force Structure Branch, Turkish Land Forces.”

“On July 15, 2016, from the time the assassination or abduction threat against Hakan Fidan was reported to him at 16:05 until his departure from the General Staff Headquarters at 20:20, over four hours passed. Yet, neither Hakan Fidan nor Hulusi Akar felt the need to inform the Prime Minister or President, to whom they were directly accountable. Why?”

“Hulusi Akar is a key witness to the events of July 15. He had a number of covert contacts just before the so-called coup attempt, which raise serious questions. Everyone is aware of this. Furthermore, that night, he was present both at the General Staff Headquarters and at Akıncı Air Base—the alleged command center of the coup—for approximately 12 hours, witnessing many events and interacting with numerous individuals.”

“There isn’t a single mention of the Peace at Home Council (PHC) in Akar’s testimony. He and Hakan Fidan were among the first and highest-level officials to know about the coup attempt. Yet neither of their testimonies reference the PHC. Especially in Akar’s case, this is striking. According to his own claim, he was detained and taken to Akıncı Air Base, where he engaged in discussions for 12 hours. If a structure like the PHC existed, he would surely have been informed while there. But he never mentions it.”

“Prior to July 15, 2016, Hulusi Akar was my superior officer. We had a close working relationship. As someone accused of being a council member, a so-called top-level organization leader, and a close colleague, I must have had some contact with him that night. That’s why I would like to personally ask him about our interactions that night, what he saw and knew about the Peace at Home Council, and what special tasks he assigned me—tasks outside my official duties—in the three years leading up to July 15, and for what purpose. Then the public and everyone else would understand who was really leading what.”

In Light of These Revelations, Let’s Join Colonel Düzenli in Asking:

• Despite being officially requested—both in writing and verbally—to testify before the parliamentary commission, why did Hulusi Akar and Hakan Fidan never appear to give statements?
   
• Why is it so difficult to go to the nation’s parliament and honestly share the truth?
   
• Let us echo Colonel Düzenli’s call: Be brave, don’t be afraid!
   

Sami Baran Sevinç (SBS)

Source:
Defense statement of the defendant Muzaffer Düzenli, recorded via SEGBİS (Audio-Visual Communication System) during the hearings on 26/03/2019 and 27/03/2019 in the case file numbered 2017/109 at Ankara 17th High Criminal Court.