Turkish man detained after applying to change name to comics character Cedric

BURSA

Ercan Şentürk (L) and Cedric

A Turkish man has been detained after it was revealed that he was a military draft-dodger when he applied to officially change his name to Cedric, a Franco-Belgian comics character.

Ercan Şentürk, 24, applied to the First Civil Court in the western province of Bursa to rename himself after Cedric, to whom he said he was likened by his friends, local media reported on July 14.

The court reportedly accepted Şentürk’s application and inquired his identity information to proceed, which revealed that the man was a draft-dodger.

Security forces apprehended Şentürk at the courthouse and sent him to the local draft center to be sent to military training, local media said.

The first hearing of the case for name change was held in the Bursa court on July 12, but Şentürk was not able to attend it as he was sent to military service.

If Şentürk fails to attend the next two hearings, the case will drop and his name will not change officially.

Written by Raoul Cauvin, illustrated by Laudec, Cedric is one of the most popular French language comics series.

In Turkey, compulsory military service applies to all male citizens from 20 to 41 years of age and its length varies according to the man’s education level.

Heavy public demand has been mounting in Turkey mostly by young men, who have been using social media to campaign intensively, for the government to launch paid exemption, which will require them to serve not more than a month in the army.