On Wednesday, 16 October, Turkish war resister Osman Murat Ulke was transferred to Mamak Military Prison, Ankara. Because he has refused to wear a uniform, he is now being held in solitary confinement in a small cell without a bed.
Osman can be held for two months without trial (two months is the minimum sentence for "alienating the people from the military", Article 155 of the Turkish Penal Code, under which he is charged). He would then face being sent to a military unit where he would refuse to soldier and become liable to further punishment.
The Izmir War Resisters' Association, of which Osman is president, is asking peace groups and parliamentarians to send urgent faxes to the following numbers:
Numbers for protest faxes:
The office of the Prime Minister +90 312 417 04 76
The General Staff +90 312 418 53 41
Minister of Justice +90 312 417 39 54
Ministry of National Defence +90 312 324 46 27
Ministry of the Interior +90 312 318 17 95
Article 155 of the Turkish Penal Code ("alienating the people from military") has been widely used against critics of the army and military operations. It carries a maximum sentence of two two years imprisonment.
Osman burnt his military papers a few days after a previous trial under Article 155. Osman, who has stated that "no coercive measure can ever make me a soldier", took his stand as a conscientious objector in order "to activate the self-will of individuals against a war machine which clearly has no conscience".
Turkey's system of conscription for military service makes no provision for conscientious objection. There are huge numbers of draft evaders in Turkey, avoiding conscription into the war in the south-east. In contrast, Osman is emphatic that he is not a draft evader but a resister.
Support messages to Izmir War Resisters' Association:
Savas Karsitlari Dernegi Izmir
1438 Sok, No: 12/3
Alsancak - Izmir
Turkey
tel: +90 232 464 24 92
fax: +90 232 464 08 42
e-mail: osi@info-ist.comlink.de