# Malta exiles

The Malta exiles (Turkish: Malta sürgünleri) were the purges of Ottoman intellectuals by the Allied forces. The exile to Malta occurred between March 1919 and October 1920 of politicians, high ranking soldiers (mainly), administrators and intellectuals of the Ottoman Empire after the armistice of Mudros during the Occupation of Istanbul by the Allied forces. The Malta exiles became inmates in a British prison where various Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) officials were held in the hopes that trials will be held at the Malta Tribunals at a future date.

## Background

In late January 1919, the Allied forces began to arrest CUP leaders and military commanders accusing them of war crimes. On 120 leaders of the Ottoman Empire were issued arrest warrants. These included several high ranking CUP notables such as Tevfik Rüştü Aras, Mithat Şükrü Bleda, Hüseyin Cahit Yalçın or Mustafa Rahmi Arslan and military commanders such as the Generals of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus Nuri Killigil and Mürsel Pasha and Halil Kut a military officer of the Ottoman Army in the Eastern front. Following the occupation of Smyrna by the Greek forces in May 1919, large manifestations in protest occurred on the Anatolian mainland raising pressure upon the courts martial. The judges then ordered the release of 41 suspects in order to calm the situation. The release was not what the allied forces had in mind, causing them to consider a better detention facility than the Bekirağa military prison, well aware that the prison might be captured by the protestors and its prisoners released. After this release the prisoners deported to Malta The prisoners were deported to Malta on board of SS Princess Ena Malta and HMS Benbow starting in 1919, where they were believed to be held for some three years while searches were made in the archives of Constantinople, London, Paris and Washington to find a way to prosecute them. Most of the prisoners were held for three years on Malta.
Initially, the Allied Government sent sixty-seven war criminals to Malta in a prosecution attempt coordinated by the British forces. Later, more suspects followed. The prisoners were secluded in three different groups.
* A: for people suspected of having taken part in massacres
* B: for people suspected of having tolerated massacres
* C: for people who were not suspected of having taken direct action in massacres
Those exiled included people unrelated to war crimes such as historian Adnan Adıvar, pharmacist Mehmet Eczacıbaşı, journalists Velid Ebüziyya, Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu, Minister of Education Ahmet Sükrü Bey and Ziya Gökalp, showing the Malta Exiles were focused on purging Turkish intellectuals who would support the Kemalist forces in spite of the Ottoman cooperation with the Allied Government.

## Turkish approach to the trials against the Malta exiles

At that time, the Turks had two competing governments, one based in Constantinople, the ancient capital of the Ottoman Empire now under Allied (mostly British) occupation, the other was based in Ankara, deep in the interior and away from Allied forces. The Constantinople government supported the inquiries with more or less seriousness depending on the current government. Nominally headed by the Sultan, the Turkish government based in Constantinople was politically the same state that had surrendered to the Allies at the end of WWI, accepting humiliating terms that included ceding or accepting the occupation of most of what had been the Ottoman Empire, including western Anatolia and complying with the exile of Turkish intellectuals to Malta. These circumstances sparked a nationalist backlash, leading a clique of Army officers commanding the remnants the Ottoman Army to form a rival independent government based in Ankara. This Kemalist Government was pro-western in overall outlook and did not seek to re-establish the Ottoman Empire but rejected the humiliating terms of surrender agreed too by Constantinople, including the surrender of the Malta exiles. While grand vizir Damad Ferid Pasha (4 March - 2 October 1919 and again 5 April - 21 October 1920) stood behind the prosecuting body, the government of grand vizir Ali Riza Pasha (2 October 1919 - 2 March 1920) barely mentioned legal proceedings against the war criminals. The trials enabled the Freedom and Accord Party to expel the Committee of Union and Progress from the political arena.
The Kemalist Ankara Government was strictly opposed to trials against the Malta exiles and their portrayal as criminals for opposing the occupation of Anatolia. Mustafa Kemal reasoned about the detainees in Malta on the occasion of the congress in Sivas on the 4 September 1919: "...should any of the detainees either already brought or yet to be brought to Istanbul be executed, even at the order of the vile Istanbul government, we would seriously consider executing all British prisoners in our custody." From February 1921 the military court in Istanbul begun releasing prisoners without trials.

## Release

The exiled later returned to Turkey in stages during 1921–1922. The release of the Turkish detainees in Malta was accomplished in exchange for 22 British prisoners held by Mustafa Kemal amongst which figured Alfred Rawlinson, a relative of the British General Henry Rawlinson. Several of the Malta Exiles then joined the Turkish Nationalist Movement around Mustafa Kemal in Ankara.

## Prisoners

Malta Exiles :
| Number | Name | Date of arrest | Arrest ID | Function in the Ottoman Empire |
| 1 | Ali İhsan Sabis Pasha | 29 March 1919 | 26 67 | Mirliva, former Sixth Army (Ottoman Empire) commander. |
| 2 | İbrahim Ahmet | 29 March 1919 | 26 68 | Ali İhsan Pasha's order corporal |
| 3 | Abdülgani Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 95 | Lieutenant colonel Binbashi |
| 4 | Ahmet Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 24 | Former Sivas Governor |
| 5 | Ahmet Cevat Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 24 | Kaymakam, Istanbul Position commander |
| 6 | Ahmet Haydar Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 08 | Kolağası |
| 7 | Ahmet Muammer [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 27 19 | Former Ministry of the Interior (Ottoman Empire), Sofia Ambassador, Istanbul MP |
| 8 | Ahmet Nesimi Sayman [az] | 28 May 1919 | 27 19 | former Foreign minister |
| 9 | Ahmet Tevfik Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 80 | Kaymakam |
| 10 | Ali Fethi Okyar | 28 May 1919 | 26 80 | Former Committee of Union and Progress secretary general. |
| 11 | Atıf Kamçıl | 28 May 1919 | 27 02 | Chamber of Deputies (Ottoman Empire) I., II. Period Kala-i Sultânîye (Çanakkale-Biga) and III. Period Ankara MP |
| 12 | Celal Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 76 | Kaymakam |
| 13 | Cemal Efendi | 28 May 1919 | 26 94 | Mülâzım-ı evvel |
| 14 | Ahmet Faik Erner | 28 May 1919 | 27 37 | |
| 15 | Fazıl Berki Tümtürk | 28 May 1919 | 26 98 | |
| 16 | Ferit Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 03 | Secretary of Committee of Union and Progress |
| 17 | Gani Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 23 | Member of Committee of Union and Progress |
| 18 | Habip Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 85 | Bolu deputy |
| 19 | Hacı Ahmet Pasha | 28 May 1919 | 27 39 | Enver Pasha's father |
| 20 | Halil Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 99 | Mülâzım-ı Evvel |
| 21 | Hasan Fehmi Tumerkan | 28 May 1919 | 26 88 | Sinop deputy |
| 22 | Ürgüplü Mustafa Hayri Efendi [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 27 34 | Sheikh ul-Islam |
| 23 | Hazım Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 78 | Kolağası |
| 24 | Hilmi Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 89 | Kırklareli Mutasarrıfı |
| 25 | Hoca Rıfat Efendi | 28 May 1919 | 27 06 | Representative of Committee of Union and Progress |
| 26 | Hüseyin Cahit Yalçın | 28 May 1919 | 26 75 | Istanbul deputy, Journalist |
| 27 | Hüseyin Kadri Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 05 | Karesi deputy |
| 28 | İbrahim Bedrettin Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 01 | Diyarbakır Governor |
| 29 | İbrahim Hakkı Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 10 | Kolağası |
| 30 | İsmail Canbulat [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 26 92 | Former Ministry of the Interior (Ottoman Empire) |
| 31 | Kemal Bey | 28 May 1919 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 32 | Macit Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 04 | The Bookkeeper of Ottoman Divan (parlement) |
| 33 | Mazlum Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 07 | Binbashi |
| 34 | Mehmet Sabit Sağıroğlu [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 26 86 | Former Sivas Governor |
| 35 | Mehmet Sabri Toprak | 28 May 1919 | 27 29 | Saruhan MP |
| 36 | Mehmet Tevfik Biren | 28 May 1919 | 26 79 | Kaymakam, |
| 37 | Memduh Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 33 | Musul Governor |
| 38 | Mithat Sükrü Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 93 | Member of Committee of Union and Progress |
| 39 | Mustafa Asım bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 11 | former Of Mutasarrıfı |
| 40 | Mümtaz Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 97 | Retired Yarbay |
| 41 | Nevzat Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 96 | Mülâzım-ı Evvel |
| 42 | Ömer Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 81 | Kolağası |
| 43 | Rahmi Arslan | 28 May 1919 | 26 91 | former İzmir Governor |
| 44 | Rıza Hamit Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 40 | Bursa deputy |
| 45 | Pirizade İbrahim Hayrullah Bey [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 27 35 | Old Council of State (Ottoman Empire) secretary general. |
| 46 | Salah Cimcoz [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 27 28 | Istanbul deputy |
| 47 | Sami Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 09 | Kaymakam |
| 48 | Süleyman Numan Pasha | 28 May 1919 | 27 32 | Army Medical Inspector |
| 49 | Süleyman Sudi Acarbay [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 27 30 | Tokat MP |
| 50 | Serafettin Efendi | 28 May 1919 | 26 77 | Mülâzım-ı Evvel |
| 51 | Şükrü Kaya | 28 May 1919 | 27 38 | Civil Inspector |
| 52 | Tahir Cevdet Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 90 | Former Ankara Governor |
| 53 | Tevfik Hadi Bey | 28 May 1919 | 26 82 | Political Police Director |
| 54 | Mehmet Ubeydullah Hatipoğlu [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 27 31 | İzmir deputy |
| 55 | Veli Necdet Sünkitay [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 26 87 | Undersecretary of the Ministry of the Interior (Ottoman Empire) |
| 56 | Yusuf Ziya Bey [tr] | 28 May 1919 | 26 84 | Retired Kolağası, member of Committee of Union and Progress |
| 57 | Zekeriya Zihni Bey | 28 May 1919 | 27 18 | Edirne MP |
| 58 | Aziz Cihangiroğlu | 2 June 1919 | | |
| 59 | Alibeyzade Mehmet Bey | 2 June 1919 | 27 16 | |
| 60 | Hasan Han Cihangiroğlu | 2 June 1919 | | |
| 61 | İbrahim Cihangiroğlu | 2 June 1919 | 27 17 | |
| 62 | Mehmetoğlu Muhlis Bey | 2 June 1919 | 27 27 | |
| 63 | Matroi Radjinski | 2 June 1919 | 27 25 | |
| 64 | Musa Salah Bey | 2 June 1919 | 27 20 | Former Minister of Nafia (Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation (Ottoman Empire)), Governor of Bursa, brother of Grand Vizier Said Halim Pasha. |
| 65 | Pavlo Camızev | 2 June 1919 | 27 14 | |
| 66 | Tauchitgin Memlejeff | 2 June 1919 | 27 22 | |
| 67 | Stefani Vafiades | 2 June 1919 | 27 26 | |
| 68 | Yusufoğlu Yusuf Bey | 2 June 1919 | 27 21 | |
| 69 | Abbas Halim Pasha | 21 September 1919 | 27 54 | |
| 70 | Ahmet Ağaoğlu | 21 September 1919 | 27 64 | Afyonkarahisar deputy, lecturer of Darülfünün, author |
| 71 | Ali Münif Bey | 21 September 1919 | 27 62 | former Nafia Nazırı |
| 72 | Hacı Adil Bey | 21 September 1919 | 27 57 | deputy |
| 73 | Halil Menteşe | 21 September 1919 | 27 60 | member of Committee of Union and Progress |
| 74 | Hüseyin Tosun Bey | 21 September 1919 | 27 65 | owner of Milli Telgraf Ajansı |
| 75 | Kara Kemal Bey | 21 September 1919 | 27 61 | Old ministry of savings and investment |
| 76 | Mahmut Kamil Pasha | 21 September 1919 | 27 58 | former 5th army commander |
| 77 | Mithat Şükrü Bleda | 21 September 1919 | 27 56 | CUP leader |
| 78 | Said Halim Pasha | 21 September 1919 | 27 55 | Prince, former grand vizier. |
| 79 | Ziya Gökalp | 21 September 1919 | 27 59 | CUP leader and writer |
| 80 | Mehmet Arif Bey | 28 January 1920 | | Kolağası |
| 81 | Nuri Bitlisi | 28 January 1920 | | Sergeant |
| 82 | Faik Kaltakkıran | 22 March 1920 | 27 80 | Old Edirne MP |
| 83 | Ahmet Sevket Bey | 22 March 1920 | 27 80 | Istanbul Fortified Area Commander |
| 84 | Mehmet Cemal Mersinli Pasha | 22 March 1920 | 27 72 | Mirliva, Former 2nd Army Commander |
| 85 | Çürüksulu Mahmut Pasha | 22 March 1920 | 27 71 | Mirliva |
| 86 | Hasan Tahsin Uzer | 22 March 1920 | 27 71 | Old Damascus and Erzurum MP |
| 87 | Hüseyin Rauf Orbay | 22 March 1920 | 27 76 | Former Minister of the Navy, Sivas Deputy |
| 88 | İsmail Cevat Çobanlı Pasha | 22 March 1920 | 27 73 | Member of the Supreme Military Council |
| 89 | Mehmet Esat Işık Pasha | 22 March 1920 | 27 75 | Doctor |
| 90 | Mehmet Seref Aykut Bey | 22 March 1920 | 27 79 | |
| 91 | Mustafa Vasıf Karakol | 22 March 1920 | 27 78 | Founder of Karakol Society |
| 92 | Köstenceli Numan Usta | 22 March 1920 | 27 81 | Lawyer, Journalist, Edirne MP. |
| 93 | Ahmet Emin Yalman | 27 March 1920 | 27 87 | Journalist |
| 94 | Ali Çetinkaya | 27 March 1920 | 27 87 | former Afyon deputy |
| 95 | Ali Sait Pasha | 27 March 1920 | 27 82 | Mirliva |
| 96 | Ali Seyyit Bey | 27 March 1920 | 27 94 | Tribal Chief |
| 97 | Celal Nuri İleri | 27 March 1920 | 27 85 | Journalist |
| 98 | Ebüzziyazade Velit Pasha | 27 March 1920 | 27 83 | |
| 99 | Enis Avni (Aka Gündüz) | 27 March 1920 | 27 91 | Writer |
| 100 | Hilmi Abdülkadir | 27 March 1920 | 27 89 | |
| 101 | İslam Ali | 27 March 1920 | 27 86 | |
| 102 | Mehmet Eczacıbaşı | 27 March 1920 | 27 90 | Pharmacist |
| 103 | Mehmet Muammer Ira | 27 March 1920 | 27 88 | Istanbul Police Director of the Political Section |
| 104 | Rafet Pasha (Bele) | 27 March 1920 | 27 92 | Gendarmerie General Commander |
| 105 | Süleyman Nazif | 27 March 1920 | 27 84 | former Musul and Bağdat Governor |
| 106 | Acenta Mustafa Kırzade | 20 May 1920 | 27 86 | Merchant |
| 107 | Abdüsselami Pasha | 20 May 1920 | | Retired General, former Yemen commander |
| 108 | Mehmet Kamil Bey | 20 May 1920 | | Musullu Journalist |
| 109 | Hacı Ahmet Bey | 20 May 1920 | | Sivas delegate of Committee of Union and Progress |
| 110 | Mustafa Reshat Bey | 31 May 1920 | | Istanbul Siyasi Polis Müdürü |
| 111 | Agah Bey | 7 June 1920 | 27 86 | |
| 112 | Basri Bey | 7 June 1920 | | Lieutenant Colonel Binbaşı, Cevat Pasha's Groom |
| 113 | Mustafa Abdülhalik Renda | 7 June 1920 | | Former Bitlis Governor |
| 114 | Ali Cenani | 7 June 1920 | | Former Aleppo and Antep deputy |
| 115 | Andavallı Mehmet Ağa | 7 June 1920 | | |
| 116 | Murat Bey | 13 June 1920 | | |
| 117 | Süleyman Faik Pasha | 13 June 1920 | | |
| 118 | Yakup Sevki Subaşı Pasha | 13 June 1920 | | Former Commander of 9th army |
| 119 | Ali Nazmi Bey | 6 August 1920 | | |
| 120 | Hoca İlyas Sami Muş | 19 August 1920 | | Muş MP |
| 121 | Mehmet Atıf Bey | 19 August 1920 | | |
| 122 | Mehmet Nazım Bey | 19 August 1920 | | Commander of the Ottoman Rumelia Detachment (reinforced 177th Regiment) |
| 123 | Süleyman Necmi Bey | 19 August 1920 | | |
| 124 | Sefer Bey | 12 September 1920 | | |
| 125 | Burhanettin Hakkı Bey | 20 September 1920 | | |
| 126 | Mehmet Nuri Bey | 20 September 1920 | | Old Elazığ MP |
| 127 | Mehmet Rıfat Bey | 20 September 1920 | | |
| 128 | Cemal Oğuz Bey | 5 October 1920 | | |
| 129 | Mehmet Ali Bey | 5 October 1920 | | Last former Minister of the Interior of the Ottoman Empire |
| 130 | Ahmet Sükrü Bey | | 27 63 | Former Minister of Education, Former Deputy of Kastamonu |
| 131 | Cevat Bey | | | |
| 132 | Eşref Sencer Kuşçubaşı | | | Special Organization |
| 133 | İsmail Müştak Mayokan | | | Author, Deputy |
| 134 | Kazım Bey | | | Miralay, Enver Pasha's brother-in-law |
| 135 | Mürsel Bakü | | | Military officer in the eastern front. |
| 136 | Sabit Bey | | | former Sivas Governor |
| 137 | Sükrü Bey | | | Miralay |
| 138 | Galatalı Sevki Bey | | | Miralay, Head of Police Station Association |
| 139 | Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu | | | Journalist, owner of Yeni Gün Newspaper |
| 140 | Velid Ebüzziya [tr] | 23 March 1920 | | Journalist of Tasvîr-i Efkâr Newspaper |