MURDER IN ANATOLIA - European Stability Initiative - ESI

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“the person instigating and guiding Emre Gunaydin is the theology faculty member Ruhi
Abat, who was guided by our [gendarmerie] commander Mehmet Ulger. Ruhi Abat had
been working for 4-5 months with our field officer Mehmet Ulger.” 181
The anonymous author did not give any further information – he claimed that he feared being
identified. The e-mail was not included in the October 2007 indictment.
On 12 May 2008 Emre denied knowing anyone named Ruhi Abat. 182 His father later testified,
however, that “Ruhi Abat came to the sports centre [the martial arts center of Emre‟s father]
over a period of about one and a half months in 2003. Later two of his kids came there.”
Emre‟s father explained, however, that in his view “Ruhi Abat has never seen my son in the
sports hall. Emre was 14-15 years old [in 2003].” 183
As it turned out, Abat was indeed a researcher with an intense interest in missionary
activities. This became clear when Abat testified as a witness on 13 April 2009, describing
his work on missionaries in Malatya as “research that I consider important for religious and
national values, and the unity of nation and state.” 184 According to Abat, his research was part
of a nation-wide project allegedly undertaken by the Historical Research Foundation (Tarihi
Arastirmalar Vakfi). 185 In Malatya it was conducted by a team of no less than seven
researchers, 186 all of them academics from Malatya University. “I did not receive any
payment related to this work. The participants did this voluntarily,” Abat told the court. 187 In
his witness testimony Abat remained vague about the content of his research:
“I did not do any independent study on missionary activities. There were two or three
group studies. Every theology department would survey the missionary activities in its
region … We tried to find out more on missionary activities in Malatya and
Adiyaman.” 188
He refused to state his opinion on whether or not missionary activities were a crime. “An
easy yes or no answer is not possible,” he told the court. 189
Abat admitted that he had also been in contact with the Malatya gendarmerie, including its
head Mehmet Ulger. He insisted, however, that “most of these conversations [with Ulger]
were about getting his support to prevent the closure of [Malatya University‟s] Theology
Department.” 190 Abat claimed that he feared losing his university job and turned to Ulger in
hope of putting pressure on the university rector to keep the department open. 191 Abat also
claimed that he gave a lecture to the gendarmerie field commanders on “missionary activities
in the 19 th and 20 th century.” After the lecture, he said, “both the police and the gendarmerie
consulted me for information about my studies by phone or by coming to my office.” 192
181 Anonymous e-mail to the Association of protestant Churches in summer 2007.
182 Protocol of the 7 th Court Hearing, 12 May 2008, p. 10.
183 Protocol of the 16 th Court Hearing, 13 April 2009, p. 4.
184 Protocol of the 16 th Court Hearing, 13 April 2009, p. 11.
185 The Foundation appears as the publisher of books in the late 1990s. It has no website of its own.
186 Sukru Uslu, Suayip Ozdemir, Yusuf Benli, Hamdi Onay, Hulusi Arslan and Ahmet Sinanoglu.
187 Protocol of the 16 th Court Hearing, 13 April 2009, pp. 11-12.
188 Protocol of the 16 th Court Hearing, 13 April 2009, p. 10.
189 Protocol of the 16 th Court Hearing, 13 April 2009, pp. 10-13.
190 Protocol of the 16 th Court Hearing, 13 April 2009, p. 11; Fatih Hilmioglu, the President of Malatya
University, had contacts to General Eruygur [see Cast of Characters]. Both are suspects in the Ergenekon trial.
191 Protocol of the 16 th Court Hearing, 13 April 2009, p. 10.
192 Protocol of the 16 th Court Hearing, 13 April 2009, p. 10.
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