Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action in the case of Haluk Selam Tufanlı, a conscientious objector who this week was imprisoned by a military court in Northern Cyprus after he refused to take part in a one-day military training in 2011.

Conscientious Objector Haluk Selam Tufanlı

Tufanlı had already carried out his compulsory military service ‘under duress’ in 2009-10. In December, 2011, he declared his conscientious objection.  Since declaring his conscientious objection, he has refused to present himself every year for the mobilization call. Military court proceedings for his refusal to take part in the military training in 2012, 2013 and 2014 have not yet began.

Amnesty International considers Haluk Selam Tufanlı to be a prisoner of conscience imprisoned solely on the basis of him exercising his right to conscientious objection to compulsory military service and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

Take action NOW!

For information on how to take action in English, click here.

For information in Turkish, including an online mailing form, click here.

UPDATE 12 December 2014

Amnesty has received word that Tufanlı was released from prison on 12 December. No further action is required at this time.  Many thanks to those who sent appeals.

Speaking by phone to Amnesty, Tufanlı said:

The judge told me I have the right to a defence, which I used, stating my conscientious objection, and then disregarded my defence in his verdict. We will take this to the European Court of Human Rights….I am well, and confident in the fact that this struggle for recognition of conscientious objection as a right is taking place around the World and that one day, we will win.