Conscientious objector in north faces jail sentence

A 33-year-old Turkish Cypriot man could end up in jail on Thursday after he refusing to report for reserve army duty in the north.

Conscientious objector Halil Karapasiaoglou said he had decided in 2013 to refuse serving as a reservist and was referred to a court-martial in the north, which is due to issue its decision on Thursday with imprisonment being a possibility.

“If tomorrow there is a war, we, as anti-militarists, will not fight,” Karapasiaoglou told the Cyprus News Agency in an interview. “Our grandfathers and fathers had fought in the past, we will not make the same mistake. Our duty towards our country is peace.”

The 33-year-old said the issue was ideological. Karapasiaoglou hid his initial military service and reported for reserve duty once after that.

He has refused to report for the past four years landing him with a court martial. By the age of 40, he would have to report seven more times, meaning he could face seven counts if his right as a conscientious objector is not recognised.

Halil Karapiasiaoglou 

Karapiasiaoglou said he was forced to serve in the first place because of his family, as his father was a foreman at a factory controlled by the security forces in the north.

“When you are 20 you have not fully formed political views and you cannot be entirely sure about certain things. That is why I joined.”

He said he did not have the courage then to announce he was an anti-militarist but would support anyone with the guts to refuse to do their military service.

The Turkish Cypriot suggested reserve duty was nonsense at a time when people from the two communities socialised and worked together.

“In the 21st century we don’t see our friends in the south as enemies, we don’t see anyone in the world as an enemy.”

The 33-year-old, who is a member of the initiative for conscientious objectors, said the Republic too had shortcomings, having a review board that includes army officers instead of being fully civilian.

As an initiative, they were prepared to afford help and legal aid to anyone from anywhere on the island.

“And we will continue until we meet international standards on the matter,” he said.

Of his trial, he said he would either go to jail or win the right to be an objector. If he gets jail, he will seek recourse at the European Court of Human Rights.

“We have a right to be conscientious objectors. We are determined to continue our fight.”

The initiative has urged people to support Karapasiaoglou and attend a protest outside the court martial at 1pm on Thursday.

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