Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

International Conscientious Objection Day

Solidarity with conscientious objectors in Turkey

(09.04.2021) Every year on 15th May, the International Conscientious Objection Day, we organise solidarity with conscientious objectors (COs) and draw attention to their resistance to war. This year we have a particular focus on Turkey – working closely with Conscientious Objection Association (Vicdani Ret Derneği).

Turkey: Prosecution of Conscientious Objectors

(01.03.2021) In the following we would like to give an overview of the current situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey. Furthermore we have added some information on the issue of recognition of asylum applications made by conscientious objectors from Turkey.

Since the early 1990s about 1,000 conscripts have declared their conscientious objection to military service. Hundreds of thousands have evaded military service using other ways or hiding. Several hundred have sought asylum abroad because of facing prosecution.

Turkey: Conscientious Objection Bulletin

November - December 2020

(10.01.2021) We, as the Conscientious Objection Association (VR-DER), aim to documen tthe current situation on the right to conscientious objection in Turkey with this bulletin. The Conscientious Objection Bulletin will be published periodically during the year.
In doing so, we hope to be able to provide the flow of information needed in the field. We hope that we will increase public awareness of the right to conscientious objection with the help of bulletins which will include applications to our Association, new declarations of conscientious objection and up-to-date information on the court cases of conscientious objectors.
If you want to get more information about our monitoring work, you can contact us on our
website, social media accounts and dernek(at)vicdaniret.org.

Join the Webinar: Conscientious objection in Turkey

Sa., November 21, 2020, 2pm UTC (3pm CET, 5pm Turkish Time)

This autumn the Conscientious Objection Association (Vicdani Ret Derneği) in Istanbul has launched a new project. The association would like to start a campaign and lobby work to gather international support for pushing the human right to conscientious objection in Turkey. The project also includes research and documentation of the particularly difficult situation of draft evaders and conscientious objectors (COs).

We invite you to participate in a webinar where we will discuss:

• The general situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey today,
• The project of the Conscientious Objection Association,
• How to develop and strengthen the campaign for COs.