Conscientious Objector Özgüner Fined 1,486 TL

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Conscientious objector Burak Özgüner has been fined 1,486 TL (330) for draft evasion. The decision of an administrative fine that was issued on October 5 by Akören Sub-Governorate of Konya province in accordance with the Military Service Law No. 1111, was served to Özgüner on October 27 by the Ministry of Defense Military Recruiting Office Directorate.

Özgüner has been noticed that he would face trial before the Criminal Court of Peace, after 15 days after the date of the notification. He has also been informed, that his fine would be reduced by half in case he immediately attended to the military unit which he was assigned to.

Application for exemption from military service submitted to Ministry of Defence

In June 2017, Özgüner had submitted an application to the Ministry of Defence demanding to be exempted from military service. He noted in his application, that he decided to be a conscientious objector due to the fact, that no investigation had been carried out with regards to the mules killed in Uludere district of the predominantly-Kurdish province of Şırnak in southeastern Turkey in 2015.

In his application, Özgüner had also pointed out to the rights violations, suspicious soldier deaths and the damage done to the nature.

He was already fined earlier

Özgüner had also been fined once in August, 2017 for draft evasion.

Özgüner reported that despite having applied to a Criminal Court of Justice to challenge the fine, he has not received any response yet.

"Preferential application of law"

Speaking to bianet, Burak Özgüner pointed out to the increased number of such fines, criticized the unwieldines in justice system and notes that this unwieldines is being eliminted when issues regarding military are at stake.

"This situation makes me suspect a preferential application of the law", Özgüner says. (EKN/DG)