TURKEY: Conscientious objector İnan Suver ended hunger strike

War Resisters' International has been informed by one of İnan Suver's lawyers that he ended his hunger strike (on which we reported on 3 September - see co-alert, 3 September 2010) for health reasons. He does not intend to go on hunger strike again any time soon.

İnan Suver was detained in Istanbul on 5 August 2010 (see co-alert, 6 August 2010), and has been transferred to the military prison in Izmir on 23 August, where he is presently being held in pre-trial detention. On 24 August, he appeared in front of the Aegean Armed Forces Command Court. The Court confirmed the charges of "infringement of leave" and ordered that İnan Suver remain in pre-trial detention. İnan Suver restated his conscientious objection during the hearing.

According to information published by Amnesty International, İnan Suver has been convicted at least three times on charges of "desertion" and served time in military prison. İnan Suver reported that while serving his prison sentence for desertion at Şirinyer Military Prison in İzmir he was repeatedly severely beaten by prison guards. He has an outstanding sentence of 35 months from three previous convictions for "desertion".

As reported earlier, İnan Suver declared his conscientious objection in a letter to the military authorities in 2009.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of support to İnan Suver:
İnan Suver
1. Sınıf Askeri Ceza ve Tutukevi Müdürlüğü
Buca – Şirinyer
İzmir
Turkey

War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the Turkish authorities, and Turkish embassies abroad.
Presidency of the Turkish Republic: Fax +90-312-4271330, email cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr.
A protest email to the Turkish President Abdullah Gül can be sent at http://wri-irg.org/node/10824.

War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of İnan Suver and all other imprisoned conscientious objectors.

Andreas Speck
War Resisters' International