Turkish conscientious objector Osman Murat Ulke, who was detained on 7 October'96 and arrested on 8 October'96, has been sent from Buca Prison, Izmir, to Ankara Central Prison. He has been placed with other political prisoners.
ISKD's lawyer, Suna Coskun, was able to see him and reported that he had not been mistreated during the transfer or in prison. We expect that he will be questioned by the military prosecutor of the Ankara Military Court next week.
We would like to thank you for your support and solidarity. We will keep you informed and make more requests for international support in the next few days.
Greetings and thanks a lot,
ISKD activists
After he was put in Buca Prison, war resisters Osman Murat Ulke demanded to stay with the political prisoners. This has been refused by the private prosuector. Therefore he has begun a hunger strike until his demand is accepted. Our lawyers had a conversation with the prison prosecutor and learnt that he wants to sent Osman to Marmak Military Prison in Ankara. But this depends on the decision of the prosecutor of the Military Court, General Staff, Ankara. We expect the decision will become clear in the following days. We are trying to keep him here in Izmir.
While we are doing this, we are making publicity and trying to inform press and democratic organisations. Depending on the result of the military prosecutor's interrogation, we will start a campaign and go into action. We hope that Osman will be questioned in ten days, either here in Izmir or in Ankara. After this interrogation, he might be released but more probably he will be kept in prison for about two months. Normally, he should then be released because, according to the law, until a trial is completed, no accused person can be kept in prison for longer than the lowest limit of the sentence. (The fact that Osman went to the police station, just answering a phone call, shows that he can be relied on not to try evade a trial.) The sentence of "alienating the people from military service" is between two months and two years, so we expect him to be released at most after two months. But the main problem is that then he can be directly taken to the military barracks. Because he was registered as a conscript last year, and then declared his conscientious objection.
So, during these two months, we will be attempt to be prepared against this possibility.
That's all for the moment.
Greetings
A. Serdar Tekin
Izmir War Resisters' Association (Savas Karsitlari Dernegi)
1438 Sok, No: 12/3
Alsancak - Izmir
Turkey
tel: +90 232 464 24 92
fax: +90 232 464 08 42
email: osi@info-ist.comlink.de
Fax numbers for protests:
General Staff: +90 312 418 53 41
Prime Minister: +90 312 417 04 76
Min of Justice: +90 312 417 39 54
Min of Nat Defence: +90 312 324 46 27