Turkey rejects recommendations about COs in the context of Human Rights Council’s UPR
Turkey rejected all the recommendations concerning conscientious objectors which were submitted during this year’s Universal Periodic Review – a process in the context of the Human Rights Council which involves a review of the human rights record of every UN Member State and recommendations from the other Member States.
More specifically, among the recommendations made by other states to Turkey, there were two concerning conscientious objectors, both made by Croatia:
"45.184 Consider revising the current law according to which the right to conscientious objection to military service is a criminal act (Croatia);
45.185 Consider the introduction of civil service for conscientious objectors to military service (Croatia);"
Lamentably albeit not unexpectedly, Turkey deemed both recommendations as “noted” which practically means “rejected”.
Worth noting that this rejection was published shortly after the Council of Europe urged Turkey to recognise conscientious objection. However, it is probable that the Turkish authorities had decided to reject the recommendations before the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe made its call to Turkey.
It is never late for Turkey to implement the recommendations made during the Human Rights Council’s UPR, as well as those made by the Council of Europe.
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