Cherkes Ahmet | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Died | September 6, 1915 |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Convictions | Premeditated mass murder Robbery |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
Cherkes Ahmet (died September 6, 1915) was the leader of the Ottoman Empire's state-sponsored paramilitary marauders of supposedly Circassian origin during World War I. Cherkes Ahmet was from Serres, Macedonia. [1] He was notoriously responsible for the murder of the well-known Armenian writer, literary critic and politician Krikor Zohrab and politician Vartkes Serengülian during the Armenian genocide. [1] [2] Ahmet supported the Committee of Union and Progress during the coup d'état of January 1913 following which he became a leading member of the Special Organization in Van, [3] where he was given the responsibility of subduing the Armenian population by Cevdet Bey, the Governor of Van at the time. [4] Ahmet, along with fellow murderers Halil and Nazim, were tried and executed in Damascus by Djemal Pasha in September 1915. The assassinations became the subject of a 1916 investigation by the Ottoman Parliament led by Artin Boshgezenian, the deputy for Aleppo. [5]
While Ahmet was officially executed for murder and robbery, the real reason for his execution was that he was considered a future liability. This was especially relevant, given the recent coup d'état. [6]