Repressie tegen dienstweigeraar in Turkije: Deniz Hikmet Hazer gearresteerd

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Bij de grote repressieve politieacties van 12 en 13 september 2026 in diverse grote Turkse steden, die vooral gericht waren tegen de LGBTIQ+-gemeenschap, is ook een actief lid van de beweging van Turkse dienstweigeraars en trans persoon, Deniz Hikmet Hazer, gearresteerd. Deze onrustwekkende ontwikkeling is de zoveelste uiting van het toenemende autoritarisme van de AKP-regering onder president Erdogan. Directe gevolgen zijn er voor de werking van het Turkse netwerk van dienstweigeraars en de bredere mensenrechtenbeweging.

Minister van Justitie, Akin Gurlek, verklaarde zondagavond 13 september dat de arrestaties, gecoördineerd door openbare aanklagers in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Aydin en Mersin, betrekking hadden op 162 verdachten, 9 verenigingen en 13 bedrijven in 15 Turkse provincies.

De Turkse gewetensbezwaardenorganisatie ‘Conscientious Objection Watch’ of ‘Vicdani Ret İzleme’ in het Turks, die in Istanbul en andere grote steden (Ankara, Izmir, …) actief is, trekt aan de alarmbel en vraagt internationale steun.

De organisatie is al enkele keren van naam en structuur moeten veranderen omdat de Turkse overheid een repressief beleid voert, waardoor er steeds minder bewegingsruimte is voor regeringskritische organisaties.

We laten Merve Arkun van Vicdani Ret İzleme hieronder aan het woord.

Our friend, conscientious objector and trans activist Deniz Hikmet Hazer, was arrested as part of a sweeping, nationwide crackdown on LGBTIQ+ people and organizations in Turkey.

When Deniz Hikmet Hazer publicly declared conscientious objection on Human Rights Day, in December 2025, she framed her refusal not as an isolated act, but as a collective resistance against state violence:

“…I refuse to participate in the state’s war, compulsory military service, and all forms of militarism. This is not merely an individual decision; it is part of the historical struggle of feminists, LGBTIQ+-people, peoples, and anti-war activists.”

“As a trans person, I know that militarism is a system of violence through which states rigidly enforce masculinity, sanctify heteronormativity, and criminalize LGBTIQ+ lives.”

“The military is an institution where trans people, queers, and all non-conforming identities are ignored, humiliated, and oppressed. I will not be part of any structure that seeks to erase my gender identity, discipline my body, and frame my very existence as a threat.”

Today, Deniz is behind bars precisely because the state continues to view non-conforming bodies, identities, and anti-militarist stances as a threat.

Deniz’s arrest took place during simultaneous police raids carried out across 15 cities under a state-led operation named ‘My Family is Safe’. This operation explicitly targets LGBTIQ+-activists, associations, and businesses.

According to official announcements, legal proceedings have been launched against 162 individuals, 9 associations, and 13 businesses. Among those formally arrested are a journalist and board and audit members of Kaos GL Association in Ankara, as well as activists in Mersin and Aydın.

Meanwhile, detained activists in İstanbul are currently awaiting their court appearances.

What we are witnessing is the extension of militarist control mechanisms into everyday life, into streets, homes, and identities, under the pretext of ‘protecting the family’.

As Conscientious Objection Watch, we stand firmly with Deniz and all targeted human rights defenders. We demand the immediate release of Deniz Hikmet Hazer and all those arrested.

We call on our friends and networks to amplify Deniz’s voice, raise awareness about this wave of repression, and stand in solidarity with human rights defenders and LGBTI+-activists in Turkey.

Conscientious Objection Watch

We need your support to strengthen the struggle for the right to conscientious objection in Turkey. Your contribution helps us continue publishing vital information, amplifying the voices of objectors, and providing essential legal assistance to those facing prosecution.

Through our cooperation with Connection e.V., every donation you make is transferred directly to Conscientious Objection Watch, ensuring that your solidarity reaches those who need it most.

Sent via Conscientious Objection Watch, a self‑organized group of conscientious objectors in Turkey. CO Watch is a member of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) and affiliated with War Resisters’ International (WRI).

Together, we can challenge ‘civil death’ and defend the right to conscience in Turkey.

Merve Arkun

Merve Arkun is een actief lid van Conscientious Objection Watch, een netwerk dat gewetensbezwaarden en dienstweigeraars ondersteunt in Turkije en een lidorganisatie is van EBCO en WRI: https://vicdaniret.org/conscientious-objector-deniz-hikmet-hazer-arrested/

https://vicdaniret.org/vicdani-ret-nedir/

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