Letter from conscientious objectors in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus to Erdoğan and Mitsotakis

Conscientious objection organizations from Greece, Turkey and Cyprus have sent an open letter to President and Justice and Development Party President Erdoğan of Turkey and Prime Minister Mitsotakis of Greece in support of regional peace, demilitarization, and the right to conscientious objection. 

The open letter has been written ahead of a meeting in Athens as part of the High-Level Cooperation Council and the resumption of dialogue between Greece and Turkey. "We believe that these talks should serve as a basis for specific, honest and solid peace-building steps that are long overdue and that will bring tangible benefits to our region as peoples of neighboring geographies, especially in these war-torn times," it says. 

The letter advocates for the recognition of conscientious objection as a human right and for universal and non-discriminatory access to the option of alternative non-military service that promotes peace (services of public interest, such as in hospitals, social care services, or civil protection).

"7.5% of government spending to military expenditures"

Drawing attention that in the past five years, Greece and Turkey have been dedicating as much as 7.5% of their government spending to military expenditures, and both states are planning for increases in their 2024 budgets, the letter says: 

"Perhaps the most glaring aspect of this is the continuation of mandatory military service. In our view, this practice deals two serious blows to our societies. On the one hand, it deprives our youth of significant time and economic opportunities. On the other hand, it instills in them a worldview that seeks enemies among us and undermines our chances for peaceful coexistence, honest collaboration, and mutual thriving that would come from tackling socio-economic and environmental issues."

The open letter invites Turkey and the authorities in the northern part of Cyprus to recognize the right to conscientious objection, and to eliminate the rights violations experienced by conscientious objectors. Greece and Cyprus similarly, are called to recognize conscientious objection as a human right and to ensure a fair and accessible alternative civilian service.

"After 50 years, demilitarization must now begin in Cyprus"

Recalling that in Cyprus, the tensions in the buffer zone have been a concern for some time now, and arguing that this may be heading towards armed conflict, the open letter calls on all sides to de-escalate. It says "after 50 years, we believe that demilitarization must now begin in Cyprus."

You can reach the open letter is signed by the Association of Greek Conscientious Objectors in Greece, Conscientious Objection Watch in Turkey, and the Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus here. (TY/PE)