A GUE/NGL statement on the imprisonment of Turkish Cypriot conscientious objector, Halil Karapasaoglou

In 2013, Turkish Cypriot Halil Karapasaoglou announced that he was a conscientious objector and refused to report for reserve army duty in the Turkish army in the occupied part of Cyprus.

Karapasaoglou had previously completed his military term and once served as an army reserve. But between 2014 – 2017, he refused to serve as a reservist. His trial before a ‘military court’ has now resulted in his conviction on 3rd January 2019 with a fine of 2000 Turkish liras.

He had already filed an appeal against the decision taken by the ‘military court’ in the occupied northern part of Cyprus. Today, however, he was arrested after he refused to pay the fine. He will now serve a 20-day sentence in prison.

GUE/NGL deplores Halil Karapasaoglu’s imprisonment and hereby declares our support and solidarity with him as well as all other conscientious objectors who oppose militarisation, and all those who strive to enforce non-violent means of thinking.