Antimilitarist News

4 May 1998 - No. 04

DE FACTO LIFE SENTENCE TO OSMAN MURAT ULKE

Osman Murat lke has been sentenced once more with the accusation of

"continuing disobedience in the military unit" on the 4th of May 1998.

This time he has been sentenced to 7 months. So, the total amount of

sentence is 38 months since he was arrested on the 6th of October 1996.

Today, he has been "released" again and sent back to the military unit. He

is strictly faced with a vicious circle. He has performed one action:

refusing to perform military service. But, because of that one action, he

is sentenced again again and this means a de facto life sentence.

Please send solidarity messages to the following address:

1. Taktik Hava Kuvvetleri Komutanll:l

Askeri Cezaevi

Eskifehir

15th of MAY - INTERNATIONAL CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS' DAY

On the 15th of May, zmir War Resisters' Association (ISKD) and Solidarity

Committee with Osman Murat lke in stanbul will be involved in several

activities. On the 9th of December 1997, Military Court of General Staff

accepted that "asking for the recognition of the right of conscientious

objection" is not a violation of Article 155 ("alienating people from

military") and is not a crime at all. The court declared that the right of

conscientious objection is adviced in the European Convention of Human

Rights which is also signed by Turkey. But, they also mention that the

Convention leaves the member states free to legislate the right or not.

Therefore, the court claims that "asking for the recognition of the right"

is not a crime, but "calling people to use the right" is. On the 15th of

May activities we will criticize this point of view that seperates the

right from its using. We will also call people to go into action on the

ground of asking the recognition of the right. We hope that the decision

of the court, might encourage some circles those seem sensitive to the CO

struggle but do not speak so much because of legal concerns.

ISKD

Communication Group

Tel: 0 - 232 - 464 24 92

Fax: 0 - 232 - 464 08 42

e-mail: osi@info-ist.comlink.de

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