*In Abrahamic religions repentance typically requires an admission of guilt for committing a wrong or for omitting to do the right thing; a promise or resolve not to repeat the offence; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong or the omission where possible.
Speaking on a programme aired on TV 2020, President Ersin Tatar mentioned that he had had a meeting with the government yesterday and stated that these diplomas need to be examined in the context of a “repentance” arrangement.
Tatar said that, “Otherwise, when certain things come to light someday, there will be unpleasant incidents in the criminal investigation“.
President Tatar stated the following:
“Yesterday, we had a meeting with the government. With a study supported by the Higher Education Council (YÖK), all incidents should be revealed through a ‘repentance’ arrangement, and diplomas like these should be revoked. Otherwise, when certain things come to light someday, there will be unpleasant incidents in the criminal investigation. We don’t know how many (fake) diplomas there are. But to expose them, an opportunity needs to be provided through a repentance arrangement, and this matter needs to be cleaned up‘”.
He also confirmed for the first time allegations that the security police’s diplomas were fake, shifting the blame onto the Police General Directorate: “Who gave us these policemen? The Police General Directorate. If there is such a situation, it will be resolved from there“.
Commenting on the repentance arrangement mentioned by Tatar, leader of the People’s Party (HP), Kudret Özersay said, “It is one of the basic principles of law: If an act constitutes a crime according to the law in force at the time the act was committed, you cannot later change it retroactively and remove it from being a crime by making a legal arrangement“.
He went on to say that “If what is being considered here under the guise of repentance is some form of pardon for those who committed this crime and those who accepted fake diplomas, this is unacceptable“.
Security Officer
Regarding allegations that his security officer’s diploma was fake, President Tatar stated the following:
“We have over 20 police guards on rotating duty. They are trying to exaggerate the matter of Tatar’s guard with its political dimensions. I received information that a police officer named Şerif Avcıl had diploma issues in this regard. Now, who gave us these policemen? The Police General Directorate. If such a situation exists, it will be resolved from there, but I hope for acquittal when it goes to court. I wouldn’t want one of our police officers to be in such a situation. He had applied for registration, but before the deadline, the diploma was delivered to him. I wish it hadn’t happened. Both the giver and the receiver are guilty… It’s currently under investigation. He’s saying something, but his words don’t reassure me. That officer hasn’t been suspended at the moment, but he’s on leave for a while“.
