Conscientious objection

In February, War Resisters’ International, Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) and International Fellowship for Reconciliation (IFOR) started a new webinar series on campaigning for conscientious to military service. The webinars included presentations from activists and experts from different countries. They also included some case studies and testimonies from CO's around the world. The presentations (in English, Spanish and some in Turkish) are now available on the Refuse to Kill Youtube Channel.   

War Resisters' International, together with Connection e.V. and Union Pacifiste de France, released a new publication, Conscientious Objection in Turkey. The booklet, published in English, Turkish, French and German, includes articles on the situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey, the history of the conscientious objection movement in the country, as well as the experiences of COs from Turkey who sought asylum in other countries. 

Conscientious objectors to military service continue to be imprisoned in many countries today. WRI regularly updates its list of imprisoned conscientious objectors and organise solidarity for them. In this story, you will see conscientious objectors who are known to be behind bars or serving in labour camps by June 2021.

On Monday (12th July), Ukrainian Pacifist Movement organised a protest near Turkish embassy in Kyiv in support of conscientious objectors in Turkey. In their statement, they said “Turkey does not recognize human right to conscientious objection, enforce conscription with outrageous cruelty and severely punish objectors, imposing fines and imprisonment for so-called desertion, excluding pacifists from social life to a degree of "civil death," closing their bank accounts, depriving them of access to public services.” 

Join us on 7th July, Wednesday (5pm CEST), for a discussion with campaigners and conscientious objectors from Turkey. To register and find more info read our story.

WRI strongly condemns the brutal attacks against conscientious objector Ruslan Kotsaba and stands in solidarity with him. We also join the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement (UPM) in their call to the authorities to investigate the attacks against Kotsaba thoroughly and take necessary steps to ensure his and other UPM activists’ safety. 

For the first time, the Supreme Court of South Korea upheld a lower court's acquittal of a conscientious objector who refused to perform military service due to his personal convictions other than religious convictions based on Jehovah Witness belief. 

Conscientious Objection Association (Turkey) released the English edition of their latest bulletin, covering updates on conscientious objection to military service in Turkey from March and April 2021. 

The bulletin includes information on the rights violations of conscientious objectors in Turkey as well as the legal cases followed by the association.

Our webinar series, Campaigning for Conscientious Objection to Military Service, continues with a new event on 16th June (4pm London, 5pm Geneva).

This time, we will have a particular focus on conscientious objection and asylum. On our webinar:

13/05/1998 1 Conscription

conscription exists

Law 569/75 regulates military service, which is compulsory according to art. 129 of the 20 June 1992 Paraguayan constitution. [2] [6]

military service

All men aged 18 to 50 are liable for military service. They must take an oath of obedience to the armed forces and the national police. [6]

Military service lasts for one year, and two years in the navy. [6]

High school students are allowed to perform their service in two five week stages.

On the occasion of May 15 – International Day of Conscientious Objection, Women in Black organised an antimilitarist action in Belgrade (Knez Mihailova Street near the restaurant Ruski car) “NO to military service – YES to conscientious objection!”