ΦΩΝΗ ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ – KIBRISLILARIN SESİ – CYPRIOTS’ VOICE
Communiqué
Murat Kanatli, an active member of bicommunal platform “Cypriots’ Voice”, was sentenced to 10 days in prison for objecting to participate in the annual compulsory military exercises on the basis of his ideological conscientious objection.
Murat Kanatli, General Secretary of YKP, is a Turkish Cypriot Politician who promotes bicommunal initiatives for the unification of our country and since 2009 had declared his conscientious objection on ideological grounds in accordance with the international law, as it refers to freedom of conscience. The right of conscientious objection to military service is consolidated by the European Chart of Human Rights.
Cypriots’ Voice expresses solidarity to Murat and call upon the Turkish and the Turkish Cypriot Authorities to release Murat Kanatli immediately and implement the right of objecting to military service in line with the international laws.
Communiqué no 26 – Cypriots’ Voice 27/2/2014