Support for Conscientious Objector Ülke

The plight of Turkish conscientious objector Osman Murat Ülke has drawn the attention of Amnesty International which has issued an urgent action call on its website. Should Ülke be rearrested, he will be considered a prisoner of conscience.

Bia news center - İstanbul

27-07-2007

Amnesty International has published an urgent call for action in reaction to the renewed threat of imprisonment of conscientious objector Osman Murat Ülke.

The international human rights organisation has announced that it would declare Ülke a "prisoner of conscience" if he were arrested and imprisoned again.

ECHR condemned "civil death"

Although the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has condemned Turkey's treatment of Ülke, the Military Prosecution in Eskisehir, a city in central Anatolia, has called Ülke back with the demand for further imprisonment, and the prosecution in Ayvalik (Northern Aegean) has issued an arrest warrant for Ülke.

Ülke's lawyers had forwarded the ECHR's condemnation of Turkey for convicting Ülke to "civil death" to the prosecution in Ayvalik, the Military Court in Eskisehir, the General Staff and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

His lawyers have also appealed to the European Council's Committee of Ministers to monitor whether the ECHR decree on Ülke was being put into practice. (TK/AG)

Related website:

Amnesty International Urgent ActionCall

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