The antimilitarists who wanted to stand in front
of the Officers Club were avoided by the police and passed to the other side
of the road (still in front of the Officers Club), read the following text
and finalised the demonstration chanting slogans:

PRESS RELEASE

Conscientious objectors and total objectors, who have been refusing to
kill-or-die, to be educated to kill-or-die, to be a part of the order-obey
system and relations that cover obedience or tyranny and all such obligatory
duties; keep on their resistance on the lands of this country today as has
been the case for the last 15 years despite every kind of deprivation of
rights, oppression and torture.

Halil Savda had been released from prison – in which he was taken to in
1997- on 18.11.2004 after the activation of the new penal code, but was
taken to Gaziantep Sehit Kamil Gendarme Station handcuffed again, for he
escaped the army service in 1996. He was exposed to torment and lawless
detainment and kept on his own for six days in the lockup of the gendarme
station without being permitted to see anyone from his family and in cold
with 4-5 military blankets.

He was taken to his military unit in Tekirdağ on 25.11.2004, and the next
day to Xorlu Military Prosecutor’s Office. He told the prosecutor that he
was not in the mood to be a soldier as far as his conscience and beliefs
were concerned
.
After that, he was kept in the Tekirdag 8th Mechanised Infantry Brigade for
eight days in isolation, at a place as large as a blanket (which is called a
‘coffin room’ in general!) with only one blanket.
He was then taken to Besiktepe Barracks, where he said that he was a
conscientious objector, and wrote a petition to the command of the brigade.
He re-explained in this petition that he could not be forced to be a
soldier, for he has been tortured by soldiers before, in addition to having
humanist and libertarian thoughts and his life style that contradicted with
being a soldier. He also underlined that he was to be treated in line with
European Human Rights Treaty, article 9, for Turkey is a party that ratified
this text.

Halil Savda was re-interrogated by Corlu Military Court on 16.12.2004, when
he said he was a conscientious objector and would make his defence only
after the talked to his lawyer. As a result of all these, he was arrested
and put into Corlu Military Prison for “disobedience to orders”. He is still
there in a two-seater ward with the sweat suits on, alone.

All of these cruelties and tortures against conscientious Halil Savda are
crimes against humanity of those committing them. We will never let this
crime be passed away, forgotten or neglected.
We, antimilitarists, do not think that using the rights for conscientious or
total objection is a crime; and will continue to use them as well as
supporting those who use them; as part of our struggle against militarism.
We are sending our ‘hello’ and warm wishes to Halil Savda from here, in
front of Istanbul-Harbiye Officers Club.
Refuse, Resist, Say No!...

Blight the Human Recources of the War!...

Antimilitarists