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UNFINISHED "NUREMBERG"
ON THE OCCASSION OF THE 90-th ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRIAL OF YOUNG TURKS

The Young Turks perpetrators

After the 1918 Mudros armistice, in order to get rid of the disgraced government of the Young Turks and prevent the possible punitive actions by the victorious Allies, the newly-organized Ahmed Izzet Pasha government, decided to bring the leaders of the Young Turks and the members of the Committee of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” before court for involving the Ottoman Empire in the war and organizing Armenian massacres.

The verdict of the Turkish Military
Tribunal sentencing to death the Governor
of Trabizon Jemal Azmi Bey
No 3616
On 22 May, 1919
The Journal of “Takvim Vakayi”

According to the decisions of 16 December 1918, Enquiry Commissions were set up (General Chairman former Ankara Governer Mazhar Bey) for the purpose of collecting evidence such as encoded telegraphs, official writings, instructions, orders, as well as eye-witness accounts of the massacres of Armenians.

The provinces of the Ottoman Empire were divided into ten investigative districts; prosecutors, inquiring judges and secretaries were appointed for each district.

The copy of the encoded circular letter of 10 July,
1915 affirmed by the commander of the
3-rd army Mahmud Kyamil pasha
The journal of “Takvim Vakay”
No 3540
April, 1919

A number of ministers of the Young Turks’ Government, party leaders, regional secretaries, attorneys, governors, servicemen and other officials were arrested.

On 8 January 1918, Military Tribunals of first, second and third instance were established in Istanbul. During the court hearings, investigation was conducted into the criminal actions of the leaders of the Young Turks’ Government; the members of the Central Committee of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party, the regional secretaries and officials, the special organization that had committed the Armenian slaughters called “Teshkilat-ı Mahsuse,” as well as the organizers of the deportation and carnage of the Armenians of Yozgat, Trebizond and Büyükdere (a suburb of Constantinople) and Harpoot.

Ismayil Hakki Bey
arrested by the British Soldiers

Although, under the existing law, the criminals were to be tried in the place where they had committed the crime, on 5 February 1919, the Military Tribunal of Istanbul made a decision to prosecute the accused in Istanbul in its first session on the trial of the perpetrators of the deportations and massacres in Yozgat.

By a special decree of Sultan Mehmed VI Vahideddin (1918 to 1922), the leaders and ministers of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party were brought before the Military Tribunal of Istanbul. In 1919 Grand Vizier Damad Ferid condemned the criminal plan executed by the Young Turks’ Government.

The trial of the leaders and ministers of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party began in Istanbul on 27 April 1919 and continued until 26 June (13 sittings) with intervals. During these trials, 11 party-affiliated and high-ranking statesmen were sentenced in absentia, together with other 20 political figures who were present at court. On 28 May, the English Command suddenly exiled 77 prisoners to the island of Malta.

Talaat Pasha and
Minister of Finance Javid Bey

The first verdict of the Young Turk perpetrators were reached on July 5, 1919. 31 criminals including the former Minister of the Interior Affairs, Grand Vizier and Chairman of the Central Committee of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party Talaat Pasha from 1917 till 1918; former Military Minister Enver Pasha, former Minister of the Marine, Commander of the 4th Turkish army in Syria during World War I and a member of the Central Committee of “Teshkilat-ı Mahsuse” of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party, Jemal Pasha; and former Minister of Public Education, Doctor Nazım were sentenced to death in absentia. Some of the remaining 27 were sentenced to different prison terms, while a small group of accused officials were acquitted because of the lack of evidence. The verdict did not contain a single reference to the criminals who had been banished to Malta from the Turkish prison under the protection of the English Command. Later many of them after returning back from exile, hold different high positions in the Republic of Turkey.

On 21, 23, 28 June 1919, the trials of the regional secretaries and other officials of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party took place. The verdict was reached on 8 January 1920. Three of the 36 people accused were sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, the others to imprisonment of several years.

Talaat Pasha with his friends
in the years of escape, Holland, 1920

Yozgat and Governor of Boghazlyan Kemal Bey was sentenced to death. Yozgat’s Police Chief Tefik Bey was sentenced to 15 years of penal servitude. The verdict of the perpetrators of Trebizond massacres was reached on 22 May 1919. Two of the eight criminals, Governor of Trebizond province Jemal Azmi Bey, and Responsible Secretary of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party Naim Bey, were sentenced to death in absentia; the others were sentenced to different years of imprisonment. The verdict of the perpetrators of the Armenian and Greek massacres of Büyükdere was proclaimed on 24 May 1919. All those accused received prison terms of several years. The verdict of the active organizers of the deportation and slaughter of Harpoot Armenians was reached on 13 January 1920. Member of the Central Committee of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party and Chairman of “Teshkilat-ı Mahsuse” Behaeddin Shakir Bey was sentenced to death, and Responsible Secretary of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Resneli Nazım Bey was sentenced to 15 years of penal servitude.

Enver Pasha, Talaat Pasha,
Halil Menteshe, Sadrazam Sayid Halil Pasha (on the right side)

The Treaty of Sèvres signed on August 10, 1920 authorized the Allies to carry out certain steps for punishing the Ottoman criminals convicted of Armenian Genocide. Thus according to the treaty, the Turkish state not only recognized the right of the Allied Rowers to prosecute people charged with the breach of laws and customs of conducting war, but also "The Turkish Government undertakes to hand over to the Allied Powers the persons whose surrender may be required by the latter as being responsible for the massacres committed during the continuance of the state of war on territory which formed part of the Turkish Empire on August 1, 1914".

The decisions and reports of the trials of 1919 to 1920 were published in the appendices of the Turkish official newspaper“Takvim-i Vekayi”. All the title pages had the following heading: “Report of the Trial of the Military Tribunal made up by His Majesty Sultan’s Imperial Order Dated 8 March 1335 (1919).”

Publications on these trials are also found in the contemporary Armenian and Turkish press.

The documents (encoded telegraphs and letters) attached to the verdicts attest that Armenian deportations and massacres were not implemented for the security reasons. The documents collected during the court hearings and attached to the verdicts reached prove that the Armenian deportations were aimed at total annihilation of the Armenian population. This plan for a“final solution” was camed out exceptionally on the initiative of the Central Committee of the “Ittihat ve Terakki” party with instructions and secret orders received from the centre.

The trials of the Young Turks’ Government, organized between 1919 and 1920 by the Turkish authorities, are unique evidence proving that the Armenian Genocide was politically organized and commited act.

These trials and verdicts are important arguments against the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the official Turkish historiography. Most of the convicted former Ottoman officials who were involved in the perpetration of the Armenian mass killings and property expropriation and were sentenced during these trials, later appeared as close associates of Kemal Atatürk, holding important positions in the military and political elite of the Republic of Turkey.


The list of the accused

	MEHMED TALAAT PASHA 1847-1921 Leader of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Minister of the Interior Affairs 1913-1917 Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire 1917-1918 He was sentenced to death by the Ottoman Military Tribunal in 1919 He was shot to death by Soghomon Tehleryan in 1921
	ISMAIL ENVER PASHA 1881-1922 One of the organizers of the Armenian Genocide Member of the Central Committee of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” War Minister in 1914 He was sentenced to death by the Ottoman Military Tribunal in 1919 He was sentenced to death in the Central Asia in 1921
	JEMAL PASHA 1872-1922 One of the organizers of the Armenian Genocide Member of the Central Committee of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Minister of Wavy Commander of the 4th Turkish army in Syria in 1914 He was sentenced to death by the Ottoman Military Tribunal in 1919 He was killed by Artashes Gevorgyan and Petros Ter Poghosyan on July, 1922
	DOCTOR NAZIM 1872-1926 Member of "Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa" and the Central Committee of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Minister of the Public Education in 1918 He was sentenced to death by the Ottoman Military Tribunal in 1919 He was hanged in 1926
	BAHADDIN SHAKIR 1877-1922 Member of the Central Committee of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Leader of "Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa" He was sentenced to death by the Ottoman Military Tribunal in 1920 He was killed by Arshavir Shirakyan in Rome in December, 1921
	HALIL MENTESHE1874-1948 Member of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Speaker of the Ottoman Mejlis in 1914 - 1915 Chairman of the State Council in 1915, Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1915 - 1917 Minister of the Justice in 1917 - 1918 He was exiled to the island of Malta by the British command in 1919, prisoner No 2760 Deputy of the Parliamnet of Turkey from Izmir from 1931
	MEHMED JAVID BEY 1875-1926 Member of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Minister of Finance in 1914 He was sentenced to a prison terms of 15 years in absentia by the Military Tribunal in 1919 He was present at the Conference of London as Adviser of Ankara’s delegation in 1921
	HUSEIN RAUF ORBAY 1881-1964 Member of the “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa and the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Minister of Wavy in 1918 Exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command, prisoner No 2776 Minister of Wavy in Ankara’s Government 1921 - 1922 Prime Minister in Ankara’s Government 1922 - 1923
	ALI FETIH OKYAR 1880-1943 Member of "Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa" and the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Deputy of the Ottoman Mejlis (Istanbul) in 1914 He was exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command, Prisoner No 2689 Speaker of the parliament of Turkey 1923 to 1924 Prime Minister of the Republic Turkey 1924 - 1925
	SHUKRU KAYA 1883-1959 One of the immediate accomplices of the Armenian massacres and deportations Member of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” General Supervisor of the deportations Exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command, prisoner No 2738 He was elected as a Deputy of the parliament of Turkey for three times from 1923 Minister of Agriculture of Turkey in 1924
	MUSTAFA ABDULHALIK RENDA 1881-1957 One of the immidiate accomplices of the Armenian massacres and deportations Governor of Bitlis 1914 - 1915, Governor of Aleppo 1915 - 1917 Exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command in 1920, prisoner No 2800 Minister of Finance 1924 - 1934, Minister of the National Defense 1927 - 1930 Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey 1935 - 1946 Acting President of the Republic in 1938
	MIDHAT SHUKRU BLEDA 1874-1956 The immediate perpetrator of the carnage and deportations of the Armenians Member of the Central Committee of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki”, the Secretary General of the Party Minister of the Education in 1915 Exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command in 1919, prisoner No 2756 Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey 1935 - 1950
	AHMED MUAMMER /JANKARDESH/ 1874-1928 The accomplice of the Armenian Genocide The Governor of Sivas 1913 - 1916 Exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command in 1919, prisoner No 2719 The Governor of Kayseri in 1922 Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey from Sivas in 1923, 1927
	HASAN TAHSIN UZER 1877-1939 The perpetrator of the Armenian Genocide Governor from Van 1913 - 1914 Governor of Erzrum (Erzeroum) 1914 - 1916 He was banished to the island of Malta by the British Command in 1920, prisoner No 2774 Deputy from Izmir in 1921, from Ardahan in 1925, from Erzrum in 1927 and in 1933 from Konia
	KEMAHAL SAHIRZADE SABIT BEY 1881-1960 One of the accomplices of the Armenian Genocide Governor of Harpoot in 1914, 1916 Banished to the island of Malta by the British Command in 1919, prisoner No 2686 Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey from Erznka in 1920s
	JEVDET BEY/ BELBEZ The perpetrator of the Armenian Genocide The governor from Van He was exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command, prisoner No 2690
	MUSA HILMI DEMOKAN 1865-1929 The governer from Qrshehiri in 1915 He was banished to the island of Malta by the British Command, prisoner No 2712
	ZIYA GYOKALP 1876-1924 Member of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Writer, one of the founding ideologists of the Pan-Turkism Deputy of the Ottoman Parliament in 1912 A Professor of Sociology of the University of Istanbul in 1915 Exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command in 1919, prisoner No 2759 Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey from Diarbekir in 1923
	HUSEIN JAHIT YALCH 1875-1957 Member of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Writer, journalist, political figure and editor of the “Tanin” newspaper Deputy of the Ottoman Parliament from Istanbul He was banished to the island of Malta in 1919, prisoner No 2675 Deputy of the Mejlis of Turkey from Istanbul in 1939, from Kars in 1950
	MUSTAFA RESHAT MIMAROGHLU 1882-1953 Chief of the Civilian Police of Istanbul in 1915 He was exiled to the island of the Malta by the British Command in 1920, prisoner No 2798 Chairman of the State Council in 1934 Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey in 1939
	SULEYMAN FAYIK PASHA 1886 – ? Commander of the 11th Corps Assistant of Governor of Harpoot and Commander of the Units 1915 - 1916 Leader of the Recruital Committee in Harpoot Banished to the island of Malta by the British Command in 1920, prisoner No 2807
	SULEYMAN NEJAMI BEY (SELMAN) 1871-1943 The governor from Samsun in 1914 - 1916 Governor from Sivas in 1916 to 1918 He was exiled to the island of Malta by the British Command in 1920, prisoner No 2812 Governor from Kstamonui in 1923 Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey from Samsun
	ARIF FEVZI BEY PIRINCHCHIOGHLU 1878-1933 Deputy of the Ottoman Parliament from Diarbekir Exiled to the island of Malta in 1919, prisoner No 2743 Deputy of the Mejlis of Turkey from Diarbekir
	ALI IHSAN SABIS PASHA 1882-1957 Commander of the 6th Army The Front of Iraq and Caucasian 1915 - 1918 Banished to the island of Malta in 1920, prisoner No 2667 Commander of the 1st Army in 1921
	KARA VASIF 1872-1931 Member of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Military, political figure He was exiled to the island of Malta in 1920, prisoner No--- Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey from Sivas
	MUSTAFA KEMAL BEY 1868 – 1926 (KARA KEMAL) Member of the Central Committee of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Minister of Procurement He was exiled to the island of Malta, prisoner No 2761
	ALI MYUNIF BEY YEGHENA 1847 -1951 Member of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Governor from Lebanon in 1915 - 1916 Minister of Public Affairs in 1916 He was banished to the island of Malta in 1919, prisoner No 2762 Mayor of Adana Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey from Mersin and from Adana
	SULEYMAN NUMAN PASHA 1868 – 1925 Member of the Central Committee of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” General, Chief of the Medical Service Exiled to the island of Malta, prisoner No 2732
	AHMED FAIK ERNER BEY Assistant of Baghdad’s Governor 1914 - 1915 Chief of Police of Istanbul 1916 - 1918 Banished to the island of Malta in 1919, prisoner No 2724
	ILYAS SAMI BEY /MUSH/ ?-1945 Deputy of the Ottoman Parliament from Mush He was exiled to the island of Malta in 1920, prisoner No 2810 Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey from Mush, and from Bitilis
	ALI JENANI BEY Member of the Party of “Ittihat ve Terakki” Deputy of the Ottoman Parliament from Aleppo He was banished to the island of Malta in 1920, prisoner No 2805 Deputy of the Parliament of Turkey in 1923 Minister of Trade in 1924

The Accused Sentenced in Absentia:

1. Talaat Pasha-Minister of Interior Affairs, Grand Vizier 1917 - 1918
2. Enver Pasha-War Minister
3. Jemal Pasha-Minister of Wavy
4. Bahaddin Shakir Bey- member of the Central Committee of “Ittihat ve Terakki”, Leader of the “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa”
5. Doctor Nazim Bey- member of the Central Committee of “Ittihat ve Terakki”, member of the “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa”
6. Javid Bey-Minister of Finance
7. Suleyman Elbistani Bey-Minister of Trade and Farming 1915 - 1917
8. Mustafa Sherif Bey-Minister of Trade and Farming 1917 - 1918
9. Oskar Effendi-Minister of Post and Telegraph 1914 - 1917
10. Doctor Ruzuhi Effendi- member of the Central Committee of “Ittihat ve Terakki”
11. Aziz Effendi-Minister of Public Security, member of the “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa”



The Accused Present at Court:

1. Sayid Halim Pasha-Grand Vizier 1913 - 1916
2. Midhat Shukru Bey-Secretary General of the Central Committee of “Ittihat ve Terakki”
3. Ahmed Jevid Bey-Commandant of Constantinople, member of the “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa”
4. Atif Bey-Deputy of Ankara, member of the “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa”
5. Zia Gyokalp- member of the Central Committee of “Ittihat ve Terakki”
6. Kyuchuk Talaat Bey- member of the Central Committee of “Ittihat ve Terakki”
7. Riza Bey- member of the Central Committee of “Ittihat ve Terakki” and “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa”
8. Ibrahim Bey-Speaker of the Parliament
9. Hayri Effendi-Sheyh-ul-Islam
10. Musa Kyazim Effendi-Sheyh-ul-Islam
11. Xalil Effendi-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Justice, member of the “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa”
12. Ahmed Nesimi Bey-Minister of Foreign Affairs 1917 - 1918
13. Ismayil Janpolat Bey-Minister of Interior Affairs 1917 - 1918
14. Abbas Halil Pasha-Minister of Public Affairs 1917 - 1918
15. Ali Myunif Bey-Minister of Public Affairs 1917 - 1918
16. Shukru Bey-Minister of Public Education, member of the “Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa”
17. Kemal Bey-Minister of General Provision, member of the Central Committee of “Ittihat ve Terakki”
18. Husein Hashim Bey-Minister of Post and Telegraph 1917 - 1918
19. Rifat Bey-Speaker of the Parliament
20. Mahmed Esad Effendi-Sheyh-ul-Islam