Turkey: Update of Conscientious Objection Watch
Bulletin published - Activities July-October 2024
(01.11.2024) Dear fellows,
I am happy to inform you that the latest issue of the Conscientious Objection Bulletin has been released. Below you can find as well as a brief summary of the activities of the Conscientious Objection Watch in July-October 2024.
In the latest issue of the Conscientious Objection Bulletin, you can find the experiences of conscientious objectors in Turkey between July-September 2024. In the period July-September 2024, conscientious objectors in Turkey were subjected to many rights violations and restrictions, from violations of the right to work to restrictions on freedom of movement. The most common violations of rights faced for not performing compulsory military service were restriction of freedom of movement and inability to work in state institutions. You can click here to access the full bulletin.
Enjoy your reading! Merve Arkun, Coordinator, Conscientious Objection Watch
Activities of Conscientious Objection Watch, July-October 2024
OCTOBER 2024: Submission from Conscientious Objection Watch to the United Nations Human Rights Committee
Conscientious Objection Watch prepared a submission for the 142nd session of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and sent it to the Human Rights Committee in October. The submission provides comprehensive information on the situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey and includes recommendations to the government to recognize the right to conscientious objection and to eliminate violations of the rights of conscientious objectors. The full submission is available on the page dedicated to the 142nd session of the UN Human Rights Committee.
SEPTEMBER 2024: Historical Win in the Ongoing Conscientious Objection Struggle in the North of Cyprus
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected Turkey’s appeal against the conviction as an outcome of Murat Kanatlı’s complaint, a conscientious objector who refused compulsory military service in Northern Cyprus. The ECHR’s ruling, issued on September 24, upheld the violation of rights verdict in Kanatlı’s case against Turkey. Ankara was ordered to pay the conscientious objector 9,000 euros in non-pecuniary damages and 2,363 euros for trial and other expenses. Cyprus Conscientious Objection Initiative issued a statement after the ECHR’s decision and said: “We said ‘Our homework is peace, our conscientious objection is our right’ and we continue to say so.” You can access more detailed information about the ECHR’s decision here.
SEPTEMBER 2024: Third screening of the documentary “Shalom-Salaam-Peace” in Turkey at ’Documentary Days for Peace’
The documentary “Shalom-Salaam-Peace” by Greek director Alexia Tsouni, translated into Turkish by Conscientious Objection Watch, was screened on September 2 at the ’Documentary Days for Peace’ organized by Foça Peace Women. After the screening, Merve Arkun from Conscientious Objection Watch participated in a discussion about the struggle of conscientious objectors in Israel and the current situation of CO in Turkey.
JULY 2024: We commemorate our conscientious objector friends Polen Ünlü and Alper Sapan who lost their lives in the Suruç Massacre in 2015
Conscientious Objection Watch released a statement commemorating conscientious objectors Polen Ünlü and Alper Sapan, who lost their lives in the Suruç Massacre on July 20, 2015. Republishing Polen Ünlü’s and Alper Sapan’s conscientious objection statements on the anniversary of the massacre, Conscientious Objection Watch said, “We continue our struggle against war and militarism.”
We need your valuable support to strengthen the advocate of the right to conscientious objection in Turkey, to continue our publications and to continue to legally support conscientious objectors. Connection e.V. is cooperating with Conscientious Objection Watch and transferring your contribution to us.
Bank details for donations in EUR:
Account Name: Connection e.V., Account No.: 20 1512 41 at Sozialbank, Sort Code: 370 20 500
Account Holders Address: Von-Behring-Str. 110, 63075 Offenbach, Germany
Swift Code: BFSWDE33XXX, IBAN: DE41 3702 0500 0020 1512 41
Online donation: https://en.connection-ev.org/CO_Turkey-form
Conscientious Objection Watch: eMail, Nvoember 1, 2024.
Keywords: ⇒ Conscientious Objection ⇒ Human Rights ⇒ Turkey