The latest news from Turkey is that queer anarchist and conscientious objector, Mehmet Tarhan, is FREE!
On March 9th, 2006, Mehmet Tarhan was taken from Sivas military prison --where he was held since April 2005-- to a local recruitment center, where he was released. Mehmet was sentenced to four years in prison in August 2005 for refusing to serve in the military, and was repeatedly beaten and tortured by military personnel. In Turkey, military service is mandatory for all men up to the age of 40.
After his release from the military prison in Sivas, Mehmet Tarhan was brought to the recruitment office in Sivas, where he was given an order to present himself to his military unit. Mehmet did not follow this order, and is presently visiting his family. This means that he will be officially classified as a "deserter", and faces the possibility of re-arrest at any time.
This sudden reversal by the Military Criminal Court of [Appeals] located in Ankara, is in no doubt due to Turkey's recent conviction by the European Court on Human Rights for inflicting degrading treatment on Osman Murat Ãœlke, a conscientious objector who was imprisoned eight times for a total of 701 days for refusing to serve. This decision by the ECHR was expected to have a positive impact on Mehmet's case.
Mehmet had the support of anti-authoritarians, anarchists, gays-lesbians, and anti-militarists in Turkey and worldwide. An International Day of Solidarity was organized on December 9th, 2005, and saw demos around the world. Mehmet's release is a victory for us all! Free all political prisoners!!
