Conscientious objector Haluk Selam Tufanli was imprisoned for 10 days on 4th December after the military court in Lefkoşa/Nicosia North Cyprus found him guilty of ‘non-compliance with the mobilisation call’ when he refused to take part in a one-day military training in 2011, ‘Amnesty International’ reports.
The military court case which began on 5th November 2013 was finalised when Judge Mesut Mesutoglu made his ruling.
‘Kibris ‘Postasi’ reports that a demonstration, which was held outside the court, was joined by representatives of 10 organisations calling for solidarity with Tufanli.
Tufanli’s lawyer Oncel Polili said that the next step is to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
Turkish Cypriot daily ‘Afrika’ reports that Mustafa Akinci, who is an independent candidate for the TRNC’s April 2015 presidential elections stated that conscientious objection is a right which must be recognised in North Cyprus.
