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In Turkmenistan, appeals of two conscientious objectors against their one-year jail terms for refusing compulsory military service were rejected. Nine conscientious objectors are now jailed, six of them in 2019. The United Nations ruled that Turkmenistan violated the rights of three more conscientious objectors jailed in 2013.

Conscientious Objection Association (Turkey) member Furkan Çelik was indicted by the Office of Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor on charges of "alienating the public from military service." Furkan Çelik was accused in relation to the social media posts on CO Association's Twitter account.

In the year thus far, the growing military presence in the south-western territories of Cauca, Colombia, has put various communities, which make up the ancestral lands in which they inhabit, at great risk. The reports lodged by the CRIS- the Regional Indigenous Board of Cauca- have been many, and these complaints have been ignored and unaddressed by the Colombian government.

We are asking for your contributions for our new booklet on understanding the militarised video games industry and how to counter this narrative. How have video games become a tool for militarism? How we can counter the militarised narrative promoted by the video games industry? Send your pieces to us latest by 10th November.

On 23-29 November this year, activists from across the world are taking action against the militarisation of young people in their countries, cities and towns. Join us this November in the International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth with your own nonviolent actions and events!

An Ashgabad court jailed 20-year-old Azat Ashirov for two years on 31 July for refusing compulsory military service on grounds of conscience. He had set out his objections in writing and offered to perform an alternative civilian service. Ashirov's jailing brings to seven the number of Jehovah's Witness conscientious objectors known - as of 5 September - to be serving jail terms of between one and four years. Six of them are imprisoned at the Labour Camp at Seydi in the eastern Lebap Region.

A new report on Eritrea published by Human Rights Watch documents the devastating effects of the conscription system on the lives of young Eritreans. In Eritrea, all secondary school students —male and female— are forced to undergo military training to complete their final year. They are sent to Sawa military camp where they follow a schedule combining secondary school classes with compulsory military training.

In June 2018, South Korea's Constitutional Court made a landmark ruling recognising conscientious objection. In its ruling, the Court obligated lawmakers to change the law accordingly and initiate alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors by the end of 2019. After more than a year since the ruling, the National Assembly is still reviewing the proposed bills on alternative civilian service.

Exiled conscientious objectors from Turkey published a call to refuse the war in Northern Syria: “Refuse! Resist! Don’t be a soldier!” They declared: “This is an illegal war that contradicts international treaties. Those who make the decision to invade, those who participate in it, and those who offer support should know that they are committing a crime against humanity!”

A new report published by one of WRI's affiliates in Belgium – Vredesactie – expolores the full extent of European arms exports to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.