Editorial

This is the fourth issue of our CO Update e-newsletter, and it is a few days early - for two reasons.

Firstly, this issue will give you some updates on Prisoners for Peace Day 2004, with a focus on conscientious objection in Finland.

Secondly, there are very pragmatic reasons: as part of War Resisters' International's activities for Prisoners for Peace Day, the editor of this newsletter will be visiting Finland, and will meet with CO activists and parliamentarians, to discuss the situation of conscientious objectors in Finland.

But Finland is not all there is in this issue of CO Update. We also report on pacifist prisoners in the Republic of Korea, and the situation of conscientious objectors and draft evaders in Eritrea, which is not well known so far. With the formation of a new organisation of Eritrean antimilitarists in exile in Germany, this will hopefully change in the future, and War Resisters' International hopes to be able to publish extracts from a new German booklet also in English, French, and Spanish soon. Voluntary translaters are welcome to contact the WRI office.