Turkey

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected Turkey’s appeal against the conviction as an outcome of Murat Kanatlı’s complaint, a conscientious objector who refused compulsory military service in Northern Cyprus. The ECHR’s ruling, issued on September 24, upheld the violation of rights verdict in Kanatlı’s case against Turkey. Ankara was ordered to pay the conscientious objector 9,000 euros in non-pecuniary damages and 2,363 euros for trial and other expenses.

Eighteen years after the ECtHR issued its first judgment in favour of conscientious objector Osman Murat Ülke, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe issued a new interim resolution on violations of the right to conscientious objection to military service in Turkey.

Conscientious objection organisations from Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus jointly wrote an open letter addressing President Erdoğan of Turkey and Prime Minister Mitsotakis of Greece, advocating for regional peace, demilitarisation, and the full recognition of the right to conscientious objection.

Cheddite is a French-Italian company with headquarters in Livorno, Italy and Bourg-lès-Valence, France. They are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of empty shot gun shells and primers.

Found in 1976, Nurol Makina is a Turkish defence company, specialising in the manufacture of armoured vehicles used by military, police, and security forces around the world. Nurol Makina is owned by Nurol Holding, a conglomerate which owns a range of companies covering the construction, defence manufacturing, energy, investment banking and tourism industries. A number of other companies owned by Nurol Holding are focused on manufacturing weapons.

17 years after the first ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in favour of a Turkish conscientious objector, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe now took a surprisingly straightforward stance.

Conscientious Objection Watch (Vicdani Ret Izleme) has published a new report about the still missing right of conscientious objection in Turkey, not only describing the prosecution and punishment but also the consequences for conscientious objectors to live in a state of civil death.

CNO Tech is a South Korean arms company, who manufacturer a range of equipment of weapons for military and law enforcement use, including single and multi-shot “riot” launchers...

Activists demand better control on the end-use of Flemish arms exports.

The Conscientious Objection Association (Turkey) has released a new report on the rights violations of conscientious objectors (COs) in Turkey. The report, released this Monday, includes in-depth interviews with COs, explains ongoing cases of COs, and includes recommendations to the Turkish government and to the international mechanisms regarding the issue.

On Monday (12th July), Ukrainian Pacifist Movement organised a protest near Turkish embassy in Kyiv in support of conscientious objectors in Turkey. In their statement, they said “Turkey does not recognize human right to conscientious objection, enforce conscription with outrageous cruelty and severely punish objectors, imposing fines and imprisonment for so-called desertion, excluding pacifists from social life to a degree of "civil death," closing their bank accounts, depriving them of access to public services.” 

Join us on 7th July, Wednesday (5pm CEST), for a discussion with campaigners and conscientious objectors from Turkey. To register and find more info read our story.