Soldiers charged for torturing a dog after footage posted online: Turkish General Staff

Legal action has been taken against soldiers seen torturing a dog in an eastern military post after video footage of the incident began circulating online, the Turkish General Staff has said.

An investigation conducted into the footage released on April 12 has spurred legal action against the soldiers serving at the military post located in the eastern province of ??rnak after they were identified following an examination, the General Staff said in a statement released on its official website.

The soldiers have been charged within the animal protection law.

Meanwhile, an online petition campaign has been started on change.org, demanding the soldiers be punished.

"It is not possible to think that those who tortured animals could protect human life and the country," the petition said.