Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Substitute payment, denaturalisation, withdrawal and asylum

An overview

(06.02.2024) All male Turkish citizens are subject to compulsory military service, which in Turkey applies indefinitely, even though the law limits the age of military service from 20 to 41 years (Art.3a) (1). They are often unaware of the options for avoiding military service. Here we want to present the current status as of 2024. The conditions for replacement payment and deferment differ depending on whether you live in Turkey or abroad.

Joint Letter from conscientious objectors in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus to Erdoğan and Mitsotakis

(08.12.2023) “The mutual arms race, heavy military expenditures, and insistence on aggressive attitudes that antagonize Greece and Turkey serve as a significant factor hindering peace and cooperation,” conscientious objection organizations said in an open letter ahead of meeting of Erdoğan and Mitsotakis in Athens.

Turkey: Input for OHCHR - report on conscientious objection to military service 2023

(October 2023) This input to the situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey was submitted to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in October 2023.

Turkey: April-July 2023 Conscientious Objection Bulletin Released

(July 2023) In this issue of the Conscientious Objection Watch Bulletin, you can find data on the activities of Conscientious Objection Watch in April-July 2023, the restrictions and rights violations experienced by conscientious objectors in Turkey.