United Kingdom

Muslim Gulf war conscientious objector Mohisin Khan, who refused to take part in the war on Iraq because he did not want to fight against fellow Muslims, lost his appeal in the hight court against his prosecution by the RAF for going absent without leave on 7 October 2004.

Khan voluntarily enlisted in the Royal Air Force in December 1999, and joined the Medical Assistant trade on an engagement for 9 years of service plus 6 years reserve.

The mother of a British soldier killed in an Iraqi ambush has launched a petition for the withdrawal of UK troops as she prepares to sue the Ministry of Defence over the death of her son.

Rose Gentle, 40, whose outspoken criticism of the conflict has fuelled criticisms that her grief has been hijacked by anti-war campaigners, denied yesterday that she was being manipulated. "Let's just make this clear," she said. "It was my decision to speak out. Nobody is using me.

WRI to coordinate a strong antimilitarist presence and the London European Social Forum

The War Resisters' International Executive Meeting discussed the European Social Forum, which will take place in London in October or November 2004. It was decided that a strong nonviolent and antimilitarist presence at the European Social Forum is desirable.

The War Resisters' International Executive Meeting discussed the European Social Forum, which will take place in London in October or November 2004. It was decided that a strong nonviolent and antimilitarist presence at the European Social Forum is desirable. The WRI Executive therefore encourages its European affiliates to mobilise for the ESF, and to offer workshops and seminars - individually and jointly.

“Radical change will not be negotiated by governments; it can only be enforced by people.”

“We have to become the global resistance to the occupation.”
“Our resistance has to begin with a refusal to accept the legitimacy of the U.S. occupation of Iraq. It means acting to make it materially impossible for Empire to achieve its aims. It means soldiers should refuse to fight, reservists should refuse to serve, workers should refuse to load ships and aircraft with weapons.”
“I suggest ...

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The right to conscientious objection is derived from Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and seen as a manifestation of the freedom of religion and belief. The then CSCE stressed the right to conscientious objection in paragraph 18 of the Document of the Copenhagen meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension in June 1990.The UN Commission on Human Rights stressed the right to conscientious objection in several resolution, most recently Resolution 1998/77, 2000/34, 2002/45. The Council of Europe also stresses the right to conscientious objection, especially in resolution 337 (1967) and recommendations 1518 (2001), R (87) 8, and 816 (1977).

a) Linking with people

Engaging and fostering links with people is one of the most important aspects of nonviolent action. We are frequently perceived as engaging solely in confrontational actions with either negative or utopian demands. In speaking up against the status quo, we threaten the vested interests of the media, and as a result usually receive a bad press. We must therefore try our hardest to link directly with all the people around us, as well as with those who are already working in similar areas.

Militarism has been the traditional target for the peace movement's nonviolent action. But keeping in mind the issues discussed in WRI's 1999 Seminar, "The Changing Face of the Military", we must remain vigilant of changes. The dictionary definition of militarism includes references to:

Amnistía Internacional encenderá 40 velas de dos metros de altura frente a la iglesia de St. Martin-in-the-Fields, donde la organización de derechos humanos más grande del mundo encendió su primera vela en 1961.

On Friday 14 November six East Timorese refugees were remanded to a prison in Preston in the north of England, awaiting trial on charges of "trespass" following an action at British Aerospace's nearby Werton factory.

The six were arrested on 12 November along with three British activists after they climbed into the factory as a protest against the export of BAe Hawk warplanes to Indonesia. All six refused to give the police their names and were held in police cells for two days, before being remanded to prison.

In London, International CO Day was marked by the unveiling of a memorial to conscientious objectors in Tavistock Square. The inscription on the slab of 450-million-year-old Cumbrian rock reads "To all those who have established and are maintaining the right to refuse to kill. Their foresight and courage give us hope".