Cyprus

Previous reports: 2023/24

Principal EBCO concerns

• Alternative service is punitive and discriminatory, inter alia, in terms of its nature, cost, and duration.

• Conscientious objectors are not recognised prima facie. The process has yet to be placed under the full control of civilian authorities.

Based on replies by the Ministry of Defence of Cyprus to EBCO's questionnaire and information from EBCO's Cypriot member, Initiative for Conscientious Objection:²

Developments

Applications for recognition of conscientious objectors seem to be on the rise in recent years.

Conscription provisions and procedures

Conscription is regulated by the National Guard Act of 2011 and applies to citizens turning 18 on the year of the call-up.³

The duration of the military service is 14 months as of 2016.⁴

Reserve duty applies until the age of 50, while there also exists an alternative reserve service for those who have performed alternative service or who performed military service as conscripts but have since followed the procedure for recognition as conscientious objectors.⁵

Reserve mobilisation necessitates a decision of the Minister of Defence upon recommendation of the Chief of Defence Staff.⁶

No data was available from the Ministry of Defence regarding numbers of persons prosecuted for evasion or refusal of military service, how many had declared conscientious objections, and what the sentences imposed were.

Conscientious objection provisions and procedures

Recognition of conscientious objectors requires the submission of an application which is assessed by a committee of two (2) university professors from the fields of philosophy, sociopolitical sciences or psychology, one (1) legal advisor from the Law Office of the State, and two (2) high officials of the National Guard, with the final decision being taken by the Minister of Defence.

Statistics on approvals/rejections in recent years as provided by the Ministry of Defence:⁷

Note: The numbers provided include both conscripts and reservists.

The Ministry could not indicate grounds for rejections, stating merely that, in those cases “the requirements of the law about religious or ideological grounds were not met.” Rejection decisions can be appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court.

Based on the Ministry's response, no information is provided to conscripts about the possibility of applying for alternative service, other than the annual publication in the Official Gazette for the call-up procedure.

During the alternative service, the local recruitment office is responsible for supervising the start and end of service and any transfers or changes, while the institution of placement administers day-to-day matters.⁸

The duration of the alternative service is calculated in addition to the duration of military service:

• Those liable to 14 months of military service are subjected to 19 months of alternative service (increase of 5 months).

• Those liable to 6 to 14 months of military service are subjected to an increase of +4 months for alternative service.

• Those liable to less than 6 months of military service are subjected to an increase of +3 months for alternative service.

Compensation for those performing alternative service is currently set at 105€. Bonuses might apply for certain categories.⁹ The Ministry justifies the subpar level of compensation as stemming from the reduced hours (8) of service and duties, compared to those serving in the military, while also functioning as a “counterbalance for fulfilling their obligations to the State” and towards “those contributing in arms to the defence and security of the country”.

The alternative service is performed in public bodies. According to the Ministry of Defence, most needed positions are in bodies supervised by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Conscientious objection during and after military service

According to the Ministry of Defence, conscripts can follow the procedure for recognition as conscientious objectors even after starting their service, however no such case has been noted. No information was provided on the right to conscientious objection for professional soldiers.

Asylum for conscientious objectors

No information was available.

"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

Principal EBCO concerns

• No recognition of the right to conscientious objection despite repeated condemnations from international courts.

As reported by EBCO's Cypriot member, Initiative for Conscientious Objection (Kibris'ta Vicdani Ret):¹¹

Developments

Murat Kanatli

ECtHR's Grand Chamber rejected the Turkish government's request for the case to be referred to them, and as such, the original ruling that the country had violated the human rights, is now final.

The Turkish government paid Kanatli 9,000€ “in respect of non-pecuniary damage” and 2,363€ in court costs and other expenses.

Mustafa Hürben

On 18 January 2024 at the Security Forces Court of Nicosia (Military Court of Nicosia in the northern part of Cyprus), the prosecution accepted that Mustafa Hürben is a conscientious objector. As there is no legislative provision, the judge explained that the option of acquittal was not available. However, considering all the previous court decisions on the issue the court avoided giving a prison sentence. According to the law, the lowest possible fine which can be given is 800TL (approximately 25 euro). Mustafa was sentenced to a fine of 800TL (approximately 25 euro), payable in 5 days, otherwise he would be imprisoned for 3 days. Mustafa Hürben announced in Court that he had no intention of paying the fine and was arrested on 23 January 2024, symbolically in front of the Parliament building during a solidarity action organised by the Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus (Kıbrıs'ta Vicdani Ret). EBCO Chief Editor Derek Brett attended his trial as international observer.

Regarding Mustafa Hürben, on 3 December 2024, the Military High Court on the appeal against the decision was to be announced and was rejected.

Halil Karapaşaoğlu

On 30 May 2024, Halil Karapaşaoğlu was sentenced by the Security Forces Court of Nicosia (Military Court of Nicosia in the northern part of Cyprus) to a fine of 1000 Turkish liras (29 euro) for refusing to serve his reservist military service on grounds of conscientious objection. Halil Karapaşaoğlu refused to pay the fine, so it was converted to 3 days' imprisonment, and he was immediately arrested and transferred to the prison, even in handcuffs. The Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus (Kıbrıs'ta Vicdani Ret) organised solidarity actions in front of the court and in front of the prison the same day. Halil Karapaşaoğlu was released the next morning, 31 May 2024.

EBCO President Alexia Tsouni and WRI Council Member and human rights lawyer Hülya Üçpınar were present at the trial of Halil Karapaşaoğlu as international observers, gave press statements, and met with deputy parliament speaker Fazilet Ozdenefe, parliamentary law committee members Urun Solyalı and Aysegül Baybars at the “TRNC Parliament” together with conscientious objectors Murat Kanatlı and Alp Bürge from the Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus on 30 May 2024.

In December 2024, Halil Karapaşaoğlu got another invitation to join the military reservist service exercise. Halil has a pending application to the ECtHR against Turkey (case number 40627/19) for violations of articles 5, 6 and 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights which refer to deprivation of liberty, the right to a fair trial and the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion respectively.

1. Population and armed forces figures are derived from The Military Balance 2025, published by the international Institute for Strategic Studies; military expenditure figures are estimates published by SIPRI (The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) in April 2025. ⤴
2. More info about the organisation at: https://www.facebook.com/kibristavicdaniret⤴
3. National Guard Act of 2011 (“Νόμος περί Εθνικής Φρουράς”)⤴
4. Decision of the Council of Ministers, Official Gazette of 9 September 2016, nr. 4503.⤴
5. Article 18 and 56 of the National Guard Act of 2011⤴
6. Article 45 of the National Guard Act of 2011⤴
7. See EBCO Annual Report 2018 for years 2009-2018, https://ebco-beoc.org/sites/ebco-beoc.org/files/attachments/EBCOreport2018fin.pdf#page=26⤴
8. Article 55 of the National Guard Act of 2011⤴
9. Law on the Allowances and Remuneration of the National Guard (“Νόμος περί Χορηγημάτων και Απολαβών της Εθνικής Φρουράς”) as amended in 2021⤴
10. Population and armed forces figures are derived from The Military Balance 2025, published by the international Institute for Strategic Studies; military expenditure figures are estimates published by SIPRI (The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) in April 2025. ⤴
11. More info about the organisation at: https://www.facebook.com/kibristavicdaniret⤴