Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Nicosia, Cyprus: Conscientious objectors in a divided city

Video on YouTube

(27.11.2019) It is 45 years since Turkey and Greece came to blows in Cyprus, and the island remains physically and politically divided - not least by a wall that cuts through the capital, Nicosia. But a new generation of conscientious objectors are risking prison – and the scorn of their elders – by refusing to take up arms against each other.

Turkish Cypriot conscientious objector released

(18.01.2019) Turkish Cypriot conscientious objector Halil Karapasiaoglou, 33, was released from the prison in the north on Friday after serving three of the 20 days that were initially imposed by a military court earlier in January.

Northern Cyprus: Imprisonment of conscientious objector Halil Karapaşaoğlu

A blatant human rights violation

(15.01.2019) “Turkish-Cypriot conscientious objector Halil Karapaşaoğlu is a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for his peaceful convictions and his genuine opposition to the compulsory military service. EBCO denounces his imprisonment as a blatant human rights violation. EBCO demands his immediate and unconditional release, and the urgent recognition of the right to conscientious objection to military service in line with the European and international law and human rights standards”, EBCO’s President Friedhelm Schneider stated today, following Halil’s arrest and transfer to prison in order to serve a 20-day sentence.

Northern Cyprus: Halil Karapaşaoğlu‘s jailing condemned

(15.01.2019) GUE/NGL deplores Halil Karapaşaoğlu's imprisonment and hereby declares our support and solidarity with him as well as all other conscientious objectors who oppose militarisation, and all those who strive to enforce non-violent means of thinking.