MEHMET BAL HAS BEEN FREED AND IS BACK IN ISTANBUL. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR MESSAGES OF SUPPORT, FOR SENDING FAXES AND SIGNING THE PETITION. WE\'D LIKE TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE STILL TRAPPED IN THE LIMBO CREATED BY THE ABSENCE OF CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR RECOGNITION BY TURKEY AND WHO ARE SUFFERING A \"CIVIL DEATH\" AS PRONOUNCED BY THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS. THOSE STILL SUFFERING ARE: OSMAN MURAT ÃœLKE AND MEHMET TARHAN. WE WILL BE PRESENTING THIS PETITION TO ALL THE RELEVANT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL BODIES TO DEMAND IMMEDIATE ACTION TOWARDS ENDING THIS SERIOUS BREACH OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
Mehmet Bal is a young man that doesn\'t believe in war. Mehmet grew up in a farm. He\'s good with his hands and turns any piece of wood into a work of art. He\'s kind and loving and likes nothing better than helping his friends. He likes to cook and he dreams with having his own plot of land to grow vegetables and his own little restaurant in Istanbul where he can sell his homemade dishes. Mehmet was getting back home on Sunday 8th June when he was arrested by police. His crime : being a Conscientious Objector and refusing to be trained to kill. He\'s been imprisoned ever since.
Mehmet\'s nightmare began by the denial of his basic rights; during the first 14 hours he was refused access to the lavatory; at 3 a.m. he was awoken by a soldier who entered his cell and punched his head, face and chest.
On Monday 9th June, after having his hair cut forcefully whilst being beaten by the officer in charge, he was placed in a ward; the inmate in charge of the ward was told by the officer: \"you know what to do\" and a vicious attack by a group of prisioners ensued, Mehmet was beaten with wooden rods. He passed out and was dragged under the cold shower; after gaining consciousness the beating resumed. Having been subjected to extreme violence, Mehmet repeatedly told the soldiers that he did not feel well and asked to see a doctor; this demand was refused. He was punched so hard on his head and face that he momentarily lost the eyesight in one eye and now it twitches involuntarily; he is suffering a constant ringing in his ears.
Mehmet has been beaten and kicked so viciously that he cannot walk and we fear that his tailbone has been broken. In spite of this, he was forced to stand during call roll enduring excruciating pain.
On Tuesday 10th June in the morning and as direct consequence of the violence inflicted on him, he had to be taken to Gumussuyu Military Hospital and was kept in the Emergency Room. Although he couldn\'t move his neck, legs and arms, he was not admitted into the hospital but instead sent back to Hasdal Military Prison on a stretcher and placed in a ward.
Because of standing up for his beliefs of non-violence, he faces a life of intermittent arrests and torture; this is the way Turkish authorities deal with Conscientious Objectors. They have devised a torturous triangle of \"military-court-prison\" in which the person refusing to join the military becomes trapped; Mehmet\'s fingerprint was forcefully taken as he had refused to sign papers presented for his signature under the military title of \"private soldier on transportation\". Conscientious Objectors are treated worst than criminals and have to live a life in hiding. Mehmet\'s lawyer and friends are doing what they can but the Turkish system knows all the tricks in the book. It has been announced that Mehmet Bal will remain in the Hasdal Military Prison until he is taken to the Adana Military Court. This is the worst possible news as we fear that back in prison, he will be subjected to further violence by guards and inmates. He needs your help. Unless we, all citizens enjoying full human rights do something about it, Mehmet\'s physical and mental health will deteriorate irreversibly. Please, let\'s help him, we are his only chance.
Please, sign this petition to free Mehmet, pass it on to your friends,your family, every person counts. You can copy the link in the address bar of your browser (above) and paste it on to a new email message and send it to all your contacts asking them to sign it and most importantly to pass it on to their contacts, otherwise, this will stop. It\'ll only take 2 minutes of your time. For Mehmet, time is running out.
We need to raise our voices loud and clear, this is NOT the World we want to live in.
Turkey does not recognize the right to conscientious objection, in violation of article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights, and article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
We, the undersigned, urge the Turkish Government to abide by International Law and recognize the right to Conscientious Objection and accordingly, free Mehmet Bal. We also demand that an inquiry takes place in order to bring to justice the person or persons responsible for the torture inflicted on Mehmet Bal.
This petition will be mailed to the Presidency of the Turkish Republic.
Thank you for your support.
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UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS :
* Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
* Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.