Recent CO Action alerts

Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc was imprisoned today for the eighth time. 19-years-old, from Haifa, Natan Blanc declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army for the seventh time on 2nd April, and was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for his refusal.

He's now spent more than 100 days in prison over the past 19 weeks.

On 27th February, conscientious objector Ali Fikri Işık was sentenced to serve 1 year and 15 days in Edirne Military Prison for 'desertion'. Since 27th February, Ali Fikri Işık has been on hunger strike.

Isik has already served 4.5 months in Edirne Military Prison for 'draft evasion'. He declared his conscientious objection whilst on trial in the military court.

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Background information

Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc was imprisoned today for the seventh time. 19-years-old, from Haifa, Natan Blanc declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army for the seventh time on 28th February, and was sentenced to 20 days' imprisonment for his refusal.

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Four conscientious objectors have been imprisoned in Turkmenistan, two for the second time.

The families of another conscientious objector have been detained and tortured.

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Background information

Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc was imprisoned yesterday for the sixth time. 19-years-old, from Haifa, Natan Blanc declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army for the sixth time on 10th February at a recruitment centre. He was sentenced to 18 days' imprisonment for his refusal.

His previous prison sentences were 10, 20, 14, 14 and 20 days long respectively.

Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc has just been imprisoned - for the fifth time. 19-years-old, from Haifa, Natan Blanc declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army for the fifth time on 21st January. He was sentenced to 20 days' imprisonment for his refusal.

His first three prison sentences were 10, 20, 14 and 14 days long respectively.

In his refusal declaration Natan Blanc wrote:

Yesterday, Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc was sentenced to a period of imprisonment - for the fourth time in six weeks - for his refusal to join the Israeli military. 19-years-old, from Haifa, Natan Blanc declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army for the fourth time on Sunday 6th January. He was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for his refusal.

His first three prison sentences were 10, 20 and 14 days long respectively.

Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc is currently in military prison 6 in Israel - the third time he has been imprisoned for his refusal to join the Israeli military. 19-years-old, from Haifa, Natan Blanc declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army for the third time on Sunday 22nd December at the Induction Base in Tal-hashomer. He was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for his refusal.

His first two prison sentences, 10 and 20 days long respectively, were between 20 - 30 November and 02 - 22 December 2012.

Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc has been imprisoned for the second time. 19-years-old, from Haifa, Natan Blanc declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army for the second time on Sunday 2nd December at the Induction Base in Tal-hashomer. He was sentenced to 20 days' imprisonment for his refusal.

In his refusal declaration Natan Blanc wrote:

Two Jehovah's Witness conscientious objectors, Anania Grigoryan and Artsrun Khachatryan, have been imprisoned for 24 and 30 months respectively.

This brings the number of people currently imprisoned for their conscientious objection in Armenia to 31.

Although sentenced in June and July respectively, Anania and Artsrun were imprisoned only after their appeals were rejected (on 15th and 26th of November respectively). They are both imprisoned in Nubarashen prison near Yerevan.

Joonas Norrena, a 20 year-old conscientious objector from Imatra, Finland, has been sentenced to 179 days of home detention for "refusal of conscription" (asevelvollisuudesta kieltÃytyminen) on 26 November 2012 by Kymenlaakso District Court. He had refused to do military service in July 2012 in Vekaranjärvi garrison in Southeastern Finland.

19 year-old Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc, from Haifa, declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army on Monday 19 November 2012. On Tuesday 20 November, he was sentenced to 10 days' of imprisonment for his refusal.

In his refusal declaration Natan Blanc wrote:

Israeli conscientious objector Moriel Rothman, 23 year old, from Jerusalem, has been imprisoned for the second time. Having been released from Military Prison No. 6 on 2 November, he once again declared his conscientious objection to military service when called up to the Induction Base on Tuesday 5 November. He was once again sentenced to 10 days of imprisonment.

In his refusal declaration Moriel Rothman wrote:

Israeli conscientious objector Moriel Rothman, 23 year old, from Jerusalem, arrived in the morning of Wednesday, 24 October 2012, to the Induction Base in Jerusalem, where he declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army as it is an occupying force. He was sentenced to 10 days of imprisonment for his refusal.

In his refusal declaration Moriel Rothman wrote:

War Resisters' International has learned that 19 year-old conscientious objector, Fakhraddin Mirzayev, has been sentenced to one years' imprisonment.

Fakhraddin, who is a Jehovah's Witness, was given a one-year prison sentence on 25 September by a court in Gyanja, and has lodged an appeal.

According to Forum 18, this is the first prosecution of a Jehovah's Witness conscientious objector in Azerbaijan for two years.

Topi Louko, a 28-year old total objector from Lempäälä, was sentenced to prison for 126 days for "refusal of civilian service" (siviilipalveluksesta kieltäytyminen) on 9 October 2012. The trial was held in Eastern Uusimaa district court (Itä-Uudenmaan käräjäoikeus) in Porvoo. Louko had refused to continue his civilian service in September 2011.

Topi Louko's refusal is based on reasons of conscience. He sees the conscription system in Finland as an offence against individual freedom and he does not want to serve as part of it.