UN Human Rights Committee Calls on Turkey: Recognise the Right to Conscientious Objection

(11.11.2024) Dear fellows,

I am sending this e-mail to inform you about a recent observation by the UN Human Rights Committee.

The UN Human Rights Committee considered Turkey’s second periodic report and reports from different civil society organizations during its meetings in October and issued its concluding observations in a document on 7 November 2024.

The Committee requested Turkey to provide information by 8 November 2027 on the implementation of the recommendations made, particularly on the independence of the judiciary, the right to a fair trial in anti-terrorism procedures and freedom of association.

Conscientious Objection Watch sent a submission to the Human Rights Committee in October. The report provided comprehensive information on the violation of the right to conscientious objection and the current situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey.

The submission of Conscientious Objection Watch, in particular the lack of any limitations on the number of sanctions imposed on conscientious objectors, the deprivation of some civil and political rights of conscientious objectors, and the abolition of Article 318 of the Penal Code, which criminalises the ‘mand. Discouraging People from Performing Military Service’, were included in paragraphs 49 and 50 of the concluding observations published by the Committee. You can find the concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee by clicking here.

The submission of the CO Watch which was sent to the Human Rights Committee in September, 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.

You can read our submission sent to the Human Rights Committee by clicking here.

Merve Arkun, Coordinator, Conscientious Objection Watch

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

Conscientious Objection Watch: eMail, November 11, 2024

Keywords:    ⇒ Conscientious Objection   ⇒ Human Rights   ⇒ Turkey