Mehmet Tarhan
Encyclopedia
Mehmet Tarhan was imprisoned for refusing military service in Turkey as a conscientious objector
. Tarhan had been sentenced to four years in a military prison for disobedience after refusing to wear a military uniform, a sentence that is evidently the longest ever given for such an offense in Turkey. He was released in March 2006 after spending several months in prison.
peasant
family. At the age of 17 he worked as a government employee in Diyarbakır
. During this time he worked with KAOS GL
(an independent political and cultural LGBT
group) and Lambdaistanbul (a LBGT civil society initiative). He also became involved in and supported anti-military efforts. Tarhan credits his sexual and ethnic identity with causing him to question militarism
.
During his days in prison he was offered and accepted to join Jury of Conscience of World Tribunal on Iraq
he said,
, all men face conscription
for up to 15 months. Under Turkish law, there is no provision for conscientious objection, even though Turkey is a member of the United Nations
, which acknowledges conscientious objection as a human right
. In January 2006, the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR) sentenced Turkey for violation of article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of degrading treatment) in a case dealing with conscientious objection.
. However, the Turkish military perceives homosexuality
as an "illness" and requires rectal examination and visual "evidence" to support such a claim. Mehmet did not want to be classified as "ill" and instead sought to be classified as a conscientious objector.
However, upon release Tarhan was again told to serve in the military. When he refused, he was again arrested and placed on trial. This time he was sentenced to four years in prison. Tarhan began serving his prison sentence in late 2005. He was unexpectedly released in March 2006. This release is believed to be political in nature due to international pressure becoming bad publicity, as he has not been acquitted and still considered to be "at large"; he can be recaptured and re-imprisoned at the whim of the authorities.
According to Tarhan's sister, Emine Tarhan, Tarhan had been tortured in prison and his life threatened by other inmates.
.
Turkish author and poet Perihan Magden
was prosecuted and acquitted in Turkey
for writing a column in support of Tarhan and his call for conscientious objection.
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
. Tarhan had been sentenced to four years in a military prison for disobedience after refusing to wear a military uniform, a sentence that is evidently the longest ever given for such an offense in Turkey. He was released in March 2006 after spending several months in prison.
Life
According to Tarhan, he was born into a KurdishKurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
family. At the age of 17 he worked as a government employee in Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
. During this time he worked with KAOS GL
KAOS GL
KAOS GL is a Turkish LGBT rights organisation founded in 1994. The organisation has been publishing the journal KAOS GL since its founding. The group operates the KAOS Cultural Center, which hosts cultural activities, meetings, and showings of films...
(an independent political and cultural LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
group) and Lambdaistanbul (a LBGT civil society initiative). He also became involved in and supported anti-military efforts. Tarhan credits his sexual and ethnic identity with causing him to question militarism
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
.
During his days in prison he was offered and accepted to join Jury of Conscience of World Tribunal on Iraq
World Tribunal on Iraq
The World Tribunal on Iraq was a people's court consisting of intellectuals, human rights campaigners and non-governmental organizations, and was active from 2003-2005. Set up following the 2003 invasion of Iraq it sprung from the anti-war movement and is modelled on the Russell Tribunal of the...
Conscientious objection
Tarhan first publicly objected to military service in October 2001. At a press conference in AnkaraAnkara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
he said,
"I condemn every kind of violence and believe that joining or condoning violence will only result in new violence and everyone will be responsible for the consequences. I think that wars caused by power-mongering states are first and foremost a violation of the right to life. The violation of the right to life is a crime against humanity and no international convention or law can justify this crime, regardless of any rationale. I therefore declare that I won’t be an agent of such crime under any circumstances. I will not serve any military apparatus."
Arrest and trial
In TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, all men face conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
for up to 15 months. Under Turkish law, there is no provision for conscientious objection, even though Turkey is a member of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, which acknowledges conscientious objection as a human right
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. In January 2006, the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
(ECHR) sentenced Turkey for violation of article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of degrading treatment) in a case dealing with conscientious objection.
Sexual orientation
Tarhan could have avoided military service by stating that he is gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. However, the Turkish military perceives homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
as an "illness" and requires rectal examination and visual "evidence" to support such a claim. Mehmet did not want to be classified as "ill" and instead sought to be classified as a conscientious objector.
Trial
Tarhan was arrested in April 2005 and tried the next month on charges of insubordination under Article 88 of the Turkish Military Penal Code. Mehmet was convicted, at which point the military prosecutor released Tarhan, stating that Tarhan had already spent the same amount of time in prison as he would be required to serve if sentenced.However, upon release Tarhan was again told to serve in the military. When he refused, he was again arrested and placed on trial. This time he was sentenced to four years in prison. Tarhan began serving his prison sentence in late 2005. He was unexpectedly released in March 2006. This release is believed to be political in nature due to international pressure becoming bad publicity, as he has not been acquitted and still considered to be "at large"; he can be recaptured and re-imprisoned at the whim of the authorities.
According to Tarhan's sister, Emine Tarhan, Tarhan had been tortured in prison and his life threatened by other inmates.
World reaction
Protests in support of Tarhan have been held around the world. and his imprisonment has attracted the attention of organizations like Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
.
Turkish author and poet Perihan Magden
Perihan Magden
Perihan Mağden is a Turkish writer, known for her wit. She is currently a columnist for the newspaper Taraf. She was tried and acquitted for calling for opening the possibility of conscientious objection to mandatory military service in Turkey....
was prosecuted and acquitted in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
for writing a column in support of Tarhan and his call for conscientious objection.