Refusing to Kill is Not a Crime

Mehmet Tarhan
Guernica by Pablo Picasso, 1937

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ARCHIVE News

Conscientious objectors and Spanish judge receive Dink award After receiving the award, Mehmet Tarhan, who spoke on behalf of the Turkey Conscientious Objectors Movement, said they will keep their promise to Hrant Dink. “We can continue on our way, taking strength from the sense of responsibility to Hrant who said, ‘It was not suitable for me to leave bubbling hells and escape to ready-made heavens,’
17 September 2010

Shut Down the Human Slaughterhouses!
Conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan has been subjected to attempts on his life, insults, blackmailing, and assault during the 11 months he has spent in the military prison of Temeltepe, Sivas. What has been done to Mehmet Tarhan goes against any conception of humanity. 
8 November 2006

Statement by Mehmet Tarhan's solicitor - against brutality he suffered in prison
The case has been brought by conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan due to the inhumane treatment he was subjected to during his time in prison.  8 November 2006
Conscientious objection platform launched
"Conscientious Objection Platform" will work for legislation recognizing the right to object to military service. Platform intends to campaign for rights of penalized conscientious objectors and journalists covering their plight".  27 October 2006
War Resisters International's call
to write to Turkish authorities against unjust sentence given to gay conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan
17 October 2006

A call to attention concerning the decision of October 10
Spending my life on the edge of a geography plagued by civil war and drowning in conflict has driven me to question the armed forces, the war economy, the states' system, in short, militarism.  16 October 2006

Mehmet sentenced to 25 months in jail.  
Turkey's Human Rights Association says a 25 month prison sentence passed by a military court against conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan is "wrongful and unacceptable," calling to stop repression of those objecting war  16 October 2006
Kurdish Objector Defies Turkey's Mighty Army
Mehmet Tarhan knows a lot about the desperation and anger that led a Turkish draft dodger to hijack a plane this week hoping to avoid military service.  08 October 2006
Press release - Mehmet is Free !
Mehmet Tarhan, gay Kurdish conscientious objector, was released from military prison on 9 March. The highest military court of appeal in Turkey (the Military Court of Cassation) ruled that he had been punished enough for his “crime”.  His crime was refusing to kill. 13 March 2006
Mehmet Tarhan – Proud to say NO
Mehmet’s refusal has inspired a movement challenging military domination in Turkey and elsewhere. Whilst warmongers support each other in their wars against Iraq, Palestine, Kurdistan... January 2006
Message to the national lesbian and gay demonstration in Rome      11 February 2006
Turkey declared guilty of degrading treatment of a conscientious objector 
24 January 2006

In a case which represents a very important precedent for Mehmet Tarhan’s, the European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of inflicting degrading treatment on
Osman Murat Ülke, a conscientious objector who was imprisoned eight times for a total of 701 days for refusing to serve.  The Court awarded Mr Ülke € 10,000 for moral damage and €1,000 for costs and expenses. 
   » Judgment: Ülke v. Turkey     (Full text in French) 24 January 2006
   » Statement by Osman Murat Ülke
  26 January 2006
   »
Statement by Contemporary Lawyers Association, Izmir Branch   26 January 2006
Stephen Funk speaks out in support of Mehmet Tarhan  December 2005
Military Court confirms four year sentence for Mehmet Tarhan 15 December 2005
Letter to MEPs by Wages Due Lesbians and Payday   13 December 2005
International Day of Action - 9 December 2005
   » Action in Greece
   » Photos from around the world
   » Report for the Morning Star (UK)
   »
Press release
8 December 2005
  
» Eighteen MEPs demand Mehmet's release 8 December 2005
   »
International information    International flyer in PDF
   » London protest

  
» Los Angeles protest
  
» Philadelphia protest
Response the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee  24 November 2005
Conscientous Objector Mehmet Tarhan threatened with judicial rape, 17 November 2005
Mehmet, gay conscientious objector in the inferno of Turkish jails, Liberazione, 2 November 2005
Payday Action Alert 4 - 28 Days on hunger strike, 29 October 2005

Letter from CAROLINE LUCAS (Green Party MEP) to EU Commissioner Olli Rehn, 19  October 2005

My brother Mehmet by Emine, Mehmet's sister, October 2005

The Turkish military’s treatment of a gay consciencious objector by Payday, 5 October 2005

To the Anti-Militarist Conference, Istanbul, 30 September - 2 October 2005 by Payday and Wages Due Lesbians, 30 September 2005

Mehmet Tarhan’s statement at his trial Sivas, 4 August 2005
Pride in Refusing to Kill Report of London, New York & Venice protests, 12 July 2005

Payday Action Alert 3, 28 June 2005

Mehmet Tarhan’s lawyer’s statement , 17 June 2005
Letter of Stephen Funk in support of Mehmet 10 June 2005
Gay Jailed and Beaten In Turkish Military Prison  UK Gay News,  1 June 2005 
Interview with Mehmet Tarhan,  May 26 2005
MEPs intervene in support of Mehmet 25 May 2005
The Right to Conscientious Objection in Europe: A review of the current situation: TURKEY
By Quaker Council for European Affairs, 2005
Interview with Mehmet Tarhan, LGBT documentary, 2002

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