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FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
http://www.forum18.org/
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one's belief or religion
The right to join together and express one's belief
===============================================
Tuesday 1 May 2012
TURKEY: SELECTIVE PROGRESS ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
Two recent Turkish military court decisions concerning conscientious
objection claims have shown recognition of the right to conscientious
objection to military service as a human right but a selective application.
These come amid contradictory Turkish government responses to Council of
Europe pressure backing European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments
requiring Turkey to bring its laws into line with international human
rights standards. The military court judgments should be read carefully, as
they show the limits of the right to conscientious objection currently
recognised in Turkey, Forum 18 News Service notes. In particular, the
courts suggest that ECtHR judgments on conscientious objection uphold the
right to conscientious objection only of objectors who are members of
groups that object to military service on intellectual, religious or
political grounds. The courts also use selective theological judgments to
back this, and appear to question the right to change one's convictions in
relation to conscientious objection. The need for a comprehensive legal
framework remains urgent. As Muslim conscientious objector Muhammed Serdar
Delice stated, "regardless of one's religion, conscientious objection is
everyone's right".
TURKEY: SELECTIVE PROGRESS ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
By Mine Yildirim, Åbo Akademi University
From: A. Papazian
http://www.forum18.org/
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one's belief or religion
The right to join together and express one's belief
===============================================
Tuesday 1 May 2012
TURKEY: SELECTIVE PROGRESS ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
Two recent Turkish military court decisions concerning conscientious
objection claims have shown recognition of the right to conscientious
objection to military service as a human right but a selective application.
These come amid contradictory Turkish government responses to Council of
Europe pressure backing European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments
requiring Turkey to bring its laws into line with international human
rights standards. The military court judgments should be read carefully, as
they show the limits of the right to conscientious objection currently
recognised in Turkey, Forum 18 News Service notes. In particular, the
courts suggest that ECtHR judgments on conscientious objection uphold the
right to conscientious objection only of objectors who are members of
groups that object to military service on intellectual, religious or
political grounds. The courts also use selective theological judgments to
back this, and appear to question the right to change one's convictions in
relation to conscientious objection. The need for a comprehensive legal
framework remains urgent. As Muslim conscientious objector Muhammed Serdar
Delice stated, "regardless of one's religion, conscientious objection is
everyone's right".
TURKEY: SELECTIVE PROGRESS ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
By Mine Yildirim, Åbo Akademi University
From: A. Papazian