Levent Kenez/Stockholm
The Armenian Bar Association, based in California, officially filed a complaint with the US government, seeking the imposition of Global Magnitsky sanctions on SADAT, a private military contractor that many believe is a de facto paramilitary force loyal to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and its CEO, Ali Kamil Melih Tanrıverdi.
According to the bar association, the complaint raises concerns over SADAT’s alleged involvement in serious human rights violations and complicity in fostering violence and instability in the conflict regions of Libya and Syria as well as in the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, which concluded with Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenia.
Global Magnitsky Sanctions enable the US government to impose sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, on foreign individuals or entities responsible for serious human rights abuses or corruption, regardless of whether those actions impact US citizens or involve US interests.
SADAT has long been a subject of debate in Turkey due to its opaque structure and involvement in suspicious relationships. It has been the target of many allegations, ranging from the training of jihadists in Syria and Turkey to the transfer of fighters to Libya. The organization’s role was also questioned during a controversial coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016, which President Erdogan used to purge his opponents within the military.
Retired officers affiliated with SADAT were reported to have organized the public in the streets during the attempted coup and proudly claimed to have fought against the renegade soldiers.
SADAT was established by the late Adnan Tanrıverdi and his associates on February 22, 2012. Tanrıverdi was a former military officer who served as a chief advisor to Erdogan for years. He had to leave his position following a Nordic Monitor report that he had been working to pave the way for the long-awaited Mahdi (prophesied redeemer of Islam), for whom the entire Muslim world is waiting. The implication was that President Erdogan was the expected leader and mahdi.
Tanrıverdi, who died on August 4, had been alleged to have provided profiling lists that included the names of officers considered to be opponents of President Erdogan in the military. These lists are believed to have been used for the purge of thousands of pro-NATO officers following the coup attempt in 2016.
Turkey’s Defense Ministry in 2021 reluctantly confirmed that retired military officers who belong to SADAT sat on military examination boards and participated in recruitment interviews.
In June 2020 UN rapporteurs sought information from the Turkish government about its role in recruiting, financing and deploying Syrian fighters to Libya. Allegations indicated that Turkey deployed mercenaries, including children, from Syrian armed groups to support the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli. A UN letter revealed the involvement of Turkey’s paramilitary contractor, SADAT, in these operations, enlisted to assist with the selection of soldiers and their travel documentation.
In 2021 Sedat Peker, a Turkish mobster and former ally of Erdogan, revealed SADAT’s involvement in the illegal transportation of arms and supplies to armed jihadist groups in Syria. In a recorded FaceTime conversation released by Peker, he acknowledged his own role in sending weapons disguised as humanitarian aid to Syria in collaboration with SADAT.
SADAT CEO Ali Kamil Melih Tanrıverdi, the son of founder Adnan Tanrıverdi, admitted publicly in 2021 that the contractor works with Turkish intelligence agency MİT and coordinates actions with Turkish diplomats and defense officials. In a video obtained by Nordic Monitor from a radio interview, Melih Tanrıverdi was recorded as saying that the firm communicates with the spy agency when it considers requests from a foreign entity to provide military, defense or technical assistance.
The Armenian Bar Association alleges that SADAT has recruited paid fighters responsible for numerous human rights violations, particularly during Azerbaijan’s 2020 aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh. According to the bar’s submission, reports from the United Nations and other organizations suggest that SADAT has been involved in recruiting not only adults but also minors, facilitating their deployment to conflict zones. The group’s operations are reportedly closely coordinated with Turkish military and intelligence agencies, highlighting its role in advancing Turkey’s geopolitical goals. Evidence indicates that SADAT has played a key role in the logistics of these operations, including supplying weapons and coordinating with local factions while operating with minimal oversight, the bar claims.
“The complaint details SADAT’s predatory recruitment tactics, targeting displaced and impoverished individuals. This exploitation of vulnerable communities exacerbates the humanitarian crises in affected regions,” the bar also said in a written statement about the submission.
Melih Tanrıverdi, the target of the allegations, responded strongly to the bar’s initiative. In a message posted on X, he said, “They couldn’t achieve results through the crypto Armenians among us. They have openly conveyed their slanders to their masters,” while sharing the bar’s complaint.
Tanrıverdi may see such an initiative as a PR opportunity for himself and his company, being aware of the perception of Armenians in Turkey. In Turkish society, the terms “Armenian” and “crypto Armenian” are often used as insults. Tanrıverdi might be trying to create the impression that if Armenians are disturbed by SADAT, then SADAT must be doing good work.
Melih Tanrıverdi was part of the official delegation during President Erdogan’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar in June 2023. The opposition accused Erdogan of dishonesty, citing his previous statement claiming no affiliation with SADAT.
