URGENT UPDATE: FEAR OF TORTURE: 10 activists arrested at CO trial / Mehmet Tarhan on hunger strike

en

War Resisters' International received urgent information from Turkey. While two of the 12 activists arrested after the trial of conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan (TK14724) have been released, it is not yet clear what will happen to the other arrestees. The arrested are: Esra Topal, Ebru Topal, Dogan Ozkan , Erkan Ersoz , Gul Duran , Nurhan Sezgin , Inci Aglagul , Ersan Ugur Gor (conscientious objector), Erdem Yalcinkaya (conscientious objector), and Mustafa Sehoglu (conscientious objector).

Meanwhile, conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan (TK14724) started a hunger strike in protest against the abuse and the prison authorities inactivity related to his safety.

War Resisters' International is extremly concerned about these new developments. It is possible that the three arrested conscientious objectors will be brought to the recruitment office, and from there to their military unit.

War Resisters' International calls for urgent protest faxes and emails to: General Staff of the Turkish Military: Fax +90-312-4250813 residency of the Turkish Republic: Fax +90-312-4271330, email cumhurbaskanligi@tccb.gov.tr Sivas Military Prison: Fax +90-346-2253915 A protest email to the Turkish President Ahmet Nezdet Secer can be sent at http://wri-irg.org/co/alerts/20050526a.html .

War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of all arrested conscientious objectors and antimilitarists.

Andreas Speck
War Resisters' International

Archives of co-alert can be found at http://wri-irg.org/news/alerts