TURKEY: Conscientious objector re-arrested

On June 29, Mehmet Tarhan, who has refused to serve his compulsory military service, was re-arrested on insubordination charges. Tarhan was asked to apply for a discharge on the grounds that he is an openly gay man, but refuses to endorse such discrimination. Tarhan was first arrested on April 8, and sent to a military prison, where he was badly beaten by prisoners. When the authorities assisted such abuse, he went on a 28-day hunger strike. On June 9, a judge ordered his release from prison, because he had already served the minimum three-month imprisonment sentence for his offence, but he was returned to his army unit. He has a new trial set for July 12. For more information, or to support Tarhan, visit < http://www.wri-irg.org/co/cases/tarhan-A HREF="mailto:en.htm"><en.htm>.

From Green Left Weekly, July 6, 2005.

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From GLW issue 632