Free Mehmet Tarhan!

Gay conscientious objector jailed in Turkey

9 December 2005: International Day of Action

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In Los Angeles, Join a picket called by the Global Women's Strike/LA outside the Turkish consulate, 6300 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles (west of Fairfax) from 11 am to 12 noon, on Friday, December 9. Bring signs, drums and noise makers!

For more info, contact GWS/LA 323-292-7405

December 9 also marks 24 years since Mumia Abu-Jamal was shot and beaten by police (more info below)*

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Mehmet Tarhan is a gay anarchist “total” conscientious objector – against all wars and any alternative to military service. He was sentenced to four years by a military court for “refusing orders”.

Turkey does not recognise conscientious objection and provides no alternative to military service.

For the Turkish military, homosexuality is an “illness”. Men applying for exemption on grounds of homosexuality must submit to an anal examination and often provide a video of sexual intercourse.

This is the equivalent of the notorious “virginity test” which the Turkish police and army have used for decades to judicially rape and sexually assault women, in particular Kurdish women.

Mehmet has refused to be classified as “ill” because he is gay and has demanded his right to be a conscientious objector. The Military Court of Appeal quashed the previous sentence, threatened judicial rape and ordered a re-trial on 15 December.



INTERNATIONAL PROTESTS: Wages Due Lesbians and Payday will picket the Turkish Airlines in London, UK and have a speak-out in Philadelphia and a picket and speak-out at the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles, US – other groups will protest in Turkey (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Sivas) - Finland (Helsinki) - France (Paris) - Germany (Frankfurt, Berlin, Mainz, Münster) - Holland (The Hague) – Israel (Tel-Aviv) - Italy (Venice, Milan) - Poland (Warsaw) - Scotland (Glasgow) - Serbia (Belgrade) – US (New York)

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO IN YOUR PART OF THE WORLD

See Payday’s website www.refusingtokill.net

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Jailed since April, Mehmet Tarhan has been attacked and tortured by prisoners and guards. He has been in solitary confinement for refusing the prison’s military discipline. He has been on hunger strike twice (28 and 34 days) demanding that his attackers be punished. You can write to him at:

5. Piyade Egitim Tugayi, Askeri Cezaevi, Temeltepe – Sivas, Turkey.

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We demand:

+ An end to the mental and physical torture of Mehmet Tarhan, his immediate release from prison and discharge from the army;

+ Recognition by Turkey of conscientious objectors’ rights;

+ Abolition of Turkish military’s definition of homosexuality as an illness, requiring anal examination and visual “evidence”.

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Email & Fax Blitz

Wherever you are on 9 December, let the Turkish authorities know that Mehmet is not alone.

Email or fax these demands to:

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

fax: +90 312 417 0476 rte@akparti.org.tr

the Turkish consulate in Los Angeles:

fax: 323-655-8681 email: turkcgla@pacbell.net

or to your Turkish embassy:

see: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/MFA/Ministry/TurkishRepresentations/searchRepresentatives.htm

and cc: payday@paydaynet.org



* December 9 also marks 24 years since Mumia Abu-Jamal was shot and severely beaten by Philadelphia police and later railroaded to death row. International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal (ICFFMAJ) is organizing an afternoon of activities and meetings in Philadelphia to plan further action to work for Mumia's release. Payday and Wages Due Lesbians will be participating in those activities and bringing the movement to support Mehmet to the movement to support Mumia. For more information, email icffmaj@aol.com. We have also invited ICFFMAJ and those supporting Mumia to participate in the Mehmet day of action. Free Mumia! - Free Mehmet!



Wages Due Lesbians

Tel 215 848 1120 Email wdl@allwomencount.net Web www.globalwomenstrike.net

Payday, a network of men working with the Global Women’s Strike

Tel 215 848 1120 Email payday@paydaynet.org Web www.refusingtokill.net