conscription

Mon
25
Apr
2016
New translation available
Submitted by hannah

This year on the 22nd of March, the Bolivian Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (PCT) rejected the right of conscientious objection as an alternative to its obligatory military service. This has occurred in spite of the generally agreed-upon...

Tue
04
Jul

Israel: Atalia Ben-Abba exempted from conscription

Conscientious objector Atalia Ben-Abba has been exempted from military service after spending 110 days in military prison for her refusal to join army. Ben-Abba's release was on grounds of unsuitability, after her request to be recognized as a conscientious objector was rejected.

In her statement following her release, Ben-Abba said “The army can call the waiver [from mandatory conscription] whatever it wants, but the fact of the matter remains that it gave me a waiver as a result of my simple refusal to participate in a system that uses violent means to oppress another people, which has imposed an occupation upon it for 50 years, and is imposing a siege, the consequences of which are yet to be seen.”

Fri
30
Jun

Recording of webinar: Educating for peace and conscientious objection in South Korea

On 25th May, War Resisters' International organised a webinar on conscientious objection, peace education and countering youth militarisation in South Korea. In the webinar, we had presentations from two Seoul-based peace campaigners: Hanui Choi, Coordinator and Peace Education Facilitator at PEACE MOMO, and Seungho Park, a conscientious objector and an activist from World without War. 

Thu
01
Jun

ISRAEL: Conscientious objector Atalia Ben-Abba imprisoned again!

Conscientious objector Atalia Ben-Abba, 19, has been imprisoned for the fourth time for her refusal to serve in the IDF. With this final sentence, Atalia will spend 30 more days behind bars, adding to the 80 days she has already served in military prison.

Send your protest emails to the Israeli authorities here.

Atalia's declaration

In her declaration Atalia states:

My social responsibility as a stakeholder in our society is important to me. The people living here are important to me, all of the people living here, and it's my responsibility and the responsibility of all of us to act for a better life here. My refusal to be drafted doesn't come out of a renunciation of this responsibility, but out of the understanding that our present reality needs to be changed, and that my refusal is my way to change it.

Thu
18
May

Webinar: Countering youth militarisation in South Korea

War Resisters' International organises a webinar on conscientious objection, peace education and countering youth militarisation in South Korea. The webinar will be joined by two activists from South Korea, Hanui Choi and Seungho Park, who have been active in the field for many years. It is going to take place on 25th May, Thursday, at 12:00 (London), 13:00 (Berlin) and 20:00 (Seoul) (See here for your local time)

To register click here and to find more information see below.

Wed
19
Apr

Colombia: Conscientious objector Diego Blanco illegally recruited

Conscientious Objector Diego Fernando Blanco López from Colombia was illegally recruited by the Colombian army, despite his right to postpone due to being a student. He is currently being forced to serve in the Grupo de Caballeria Mecanicado No 4 Juan de Corral of the Colombian Army in Rionegro, Antioquia.

Since his declaration of conscientious objection on 20th March 2017, Diego Blanco has been subjected to aggression and harassment by his superiors. When he refused to take arms earlier this week, he was attacked by the First Sergeant Oscar Camacho Cartagena and has been threatened with a court martial for disobedience/insubordination.

Support Diego Blanco with your protest emails to the authorities. Send your emails here.

Fri
07
Apr

After 130 days in prison, IDF frees conscientious objector Tamar Alon

After 130 days in military prison, the Israeli army on Wednesday released conscientious objector Tamar Alon from mandatory service. Alon served six terms in military prison for her refusal to be conscripted, which she said would have contributed to the oppression of the Palestinian people. She had expressed her willingness to instead perform civilian national service, an alternative the army rejected.

“The price I paid is small compared to the price millions of Palestinians have been paying for 50 years, whose basic rights are violated on a daily basis and whose freedom has yet to be returned to them like mine was returned to me,” Alon said upon being released from prison and military service.

Read the full article here.

This is an article by Yael Marom which appears on +972 Magazine.

Mon
19
Dec

Thailand: Interview with the conscientious objector Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal

During a War Resisters' International trip to Thailand last month we met Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, a conscientious objector. Here's a short interview by WRI staff member Hannah Brock, talking with Netiwit about conscription and the role of the army in Thailand.

Make sure 'CC' is on if you want subtitles (in English).

Thailand: Interview with the conscientious objector Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal
Thu
17
Nov

Israel: Activists refused to serve in the occupation

On November 16, Tamar Ze'evi and Tamar Alon declared their refusal to serve in the occupation at the IDF’s Tel Hashomer induction base outside Tel Aviv. A military tribunal sentenced both to two days in prison (following which they will be brought back for another hearing, and possibly sentenced again). Many activists supported Ze'evi and Alon, and accompanied them to the military induction base.

Alongside their solidarity protests taking place as part of the International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth, מסרבות (Mesarvot) -a network of Israeli organizations, groups and individuals who support political conscientious objectors- is also working on an international day of action to take place on 1st December.

Wed
26
Oct

Webinar: Countering the Militarisation of Youth: Examples of Resistance

Young peoples' experiences of the military, and exposure to militarist values, differ around the world. In this webinar, we gathered examples of everyday militarism from two countries, Israel and Germany, and discussed with activists about their strategies and campaigns to counter it.

Webinar: Countering the Militarisation of Youth: Examples of Resistance
Tue
02
Aug

Soldiers' Mothers of St. Petersburg introduce mobile app "Draftee Online" to help draftees

The Android application "Draftee Online" is an aid to any draftee, whether he intends to do army service or has the right to an exemption.

The app provides advice based on the rich experience of the lawyers at the human rights organization Soldiers' Mothers of St Petersburg, who help draftees to figure out the most pressing and complex questions of the military draft, and to defend their rights independently.

"Draftee Online" is set up so that a young person who suffers a violation of the law can find a case related to his own situation and receive concrete recommendations as to the actions he can undertake to protect his rights.

The application describes the most frequent situations that draftees encounter, as well as giving templates of the necessary declarations and complaints.

The application unites a large number of useful functions, which every draftee should have at the ready:

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