Conscription in Turkey
[1] Conscripts can be deployed in all parts of the Turkish armed forces, except in combat operations or active conflicts.
The rules and procedures for conscription are set out in the Military Service Law in accordance with Article 72 of the Turkish Constitution.
For persons with two years of vocational training or a low level of education, the maximum conscription period of twelve months applies.
According to 2018 data from the Turkish government, a total of 1.9 million young men have been deferred from military service because of their studies.
[8] The Ministry of National Defense broadcasts the call for conscription through Turkish state radio and television.
People are expected to respond to the call by presenting themselves with the necessary documents at one of the military registration offices, or in case of residence abroad, at the Turkish consulate or embassy.
If the registration and examination of the person concerned has still not taken place by the time the other conscripts from the same year are due to take office, this constitutes an offence.
[2] During the examination, an inventory is made of the conscript's state of health, level of education, profession and special skills such as knowledge of languages.
Members of the armed forces are required to carry their military ID at all times, even if they are wearing civilian clothes.
The purport is that the freedom of Turkish nationals to leave the country may only be restricted on the basis of a court decision following a criminal investigation or prosecution.
[9] The Department of Defense's Directorate General of Drafting Services (ASAL) is responsible for conscript deployment planning.
Turkey has the largest army in NATO after the United States, with an estimated number of more than 615,000 on active duty or in reserve.
[14] Deferral of military service can be obtained on the basis of law 1111, article 35: One can also request a deferment of conscription because of being held in detention.
The medical evaluation report approved by a consulate or embassy is shared with the Ministry of Defense, which decides on individual cases.
In case of objection to this decision, a subsequent medical examination can be carried out in a military hospital in the country concerned.
In the event of non-complete disapproval due to physical condition, the person will have to undergo renewed checks every two years during the period of service to ensure that they are still unfit to stand.
In practice, the Turkish authorities often impose a lighter sentence than the harshest possible measure of imprisonment.
Articles 50 and 51 of the Turkish Military Penal Code indicate that the court may convert prison sentences of less than one year into a fine.
[18] Similar to Israel and South Korea, Turkey does not recognize the right of conscientious objection (vicdani retçi).
[19] Most companies[citation needed] require men to have completed their military service before their job candidacies can be accepted.
Previously, families would not (or would only seldom) consent to their daughters marrying men who have not served their terms, however, this has significantly changed since the 2010s.
[citation needed] It is commonly regarded as a rite of passage to manhood, and most men grow up with the anticipation of serving out their time.
[citation needed] On the other hand, it is held to be one of the main reasons behind the brain drain prevalent among well-educated young professionals.
Akçay states: "One side might say that, mandatory military service is a net loss for our economy and therefore I don't support it.
