Conscientious Objector Hasan Rahvancıoğlu Faces Imprisonment Risk

Rahvancıoğlu’s case will be heard at the Security Forces Court on Thursday, November 27, at 12:00 PM. Having previously stated that he would not pay fines, he is expected to face prison if found guilty. The Initiative called on all antimilitarists and peace advocates to show solidarity outside the courthouse.

The Initiative emphasized that the ongoing trials against conscientious objectors constitute a “clear violation of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.” It noted that Halil Karapaşaoğlu recently faced imprisonment for a second time after his appeal was rejected and the Security Forces Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s ruling.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) previously condemned Turkey on March 12, 2024, for violating this right, and the ruling was finalized on September 24, 2024, after appeals were rejected. Similar cases involving Halil Karapaşaoğlu and Haluk Selam Tufanlı remain under consideration at the ECHR.

The Initiative stressed, “As confirmed by the Constitutional Court, freedom of thought and conscience is constitutionally guaranteed. Yet the ongoing prosecutions by the Attorney General continue to criminalize thought. Today, conscientious objection remains a crime in Northern Cyprus.”