Conscientious objection

This Friday, 15th May, is International Conscientious Objection Day. This year, War Resisters’ International, together with Connection e.V., has called for your video contributions for our online action. We received your videos celebrating this day, sharing your stories as conscientious objectors as well as your solidarity messages with conscientious objectors.

This year on International Conscientious Objection Day, 15th May, we are focusing on conscientious objection and the right to seek asylum this year. A lot of the present refugees have to leave their countries because of forced recruitment in countries that don't recognise the right to conscientious objection. We say: protecting people who decide not to go to war would be an important and necessary step to struggle against war and oppression!

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has accepted a Turkish Cypriot conscientious objector's application against Turkey. Conscientious objector Halil Karapasaoglu, based in North Cyprus - a self-declared state recognised only by Turkey, was sentenced to 20 days in prison in January 2019. His sentence was cut short to 3 days after his successful appeal. In July 2019, Karapasaoglu submitted an application to the ECtHR for violations of articles 5, 6 and 9 of the ECHR - referring to deprivation of liberty, the right to a fair trial and the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion respectively.

On 5th March, Slovenian parliament voted against a bill reintroducing conscription, which was abolished in 2003. The bill, proposed by the incoming ruling party Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), was defeated in a 36:51 vote in parliament.

European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) has released its Annual Report on Conscientious Objection to Military Service in Europe 2019. The report highlights multiple discriminations conscientious objectors faced across Europe throughout 2019.

Read Brayan's story, a CO in Colombia recruited irregularly by the army. Use our support letter and share this solidarity call out with others.

We have launched the CO book in its Spanish edition. On February 20th we held a launching event in Bogotá where we reflected on the book's content and discussed about all the ways we can object and resist war.

A Dashoguz Region court jailed Jehovah's Witness Vepa Matyakubov for two years on 17 February, his second criminal conviction for refusing military service on grounds of conscience. He had offered to do an alternative civilian service but Turkmenistan does not offer this. He is likely to join nine other jailed conscientious objectors in Seydi labour camp, known for harsh conditions and torture.

The trial of 19-year-old Jehovah's Witness conscientious objector Jovidon Bobojonov for refusing compulsory military service on grounds of conscience may begin at Dushanbe Military Court in early March. One official of the Court told Forum 18 that the criminal case is close to completion.  If convicted, he faces between two and five years in prison. He has become "emotionally and physically exhausted" since he was seized in October 2019, Jehovah's Witnesses say.

Germany Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer suggested opening the debate on reintroducing military service for high school graduates. After doing a “listening tour” of Christian Democratic Union (CDU) branches, Annegret Kramp-karrembauer came out in favor of starting the discussion of reintroducing compulsory national service in Germany.

Shame on the enaction of the bill that degrades the significance of the first alternative military service for conscientious objectors.

Contrary to international humanitarian law, Russian continues conscripting men in Crimea to serve in the Russian armed forces. Human Rights Watch has reviewed dozens of judgments from Crimean courts on criminal draft evasion cases and identified 71 criminal draft evasion cases and 63 guilty verdicts between 2017 and 2019.