Recent CO Action alerts

Three weeks ago Murat Kanatli hosted a group of thirty activists from around the Eastern Mediterranean region who gathered in Nicosia for a meeting of conscientious objector and war resister movements in the Eastern Mediterranean. Today he has been imprisoned for his refusal to take part in the annual compulsory military service exercises.

Kamran Shikhaliyev, a conscientious objector in Azerbaijan, is on trial this morning in Jalilabad Military Court in southern Azerbaijan, charged with "fraudulently evading military service". He faces up to two years in a military disciplinary prison if convicted.

You can send a protest email here.

Background

Omar Saad, a conscientious objector in Israel, was imprisoned on 4th February for 20 days. This is his fourth imprisonment so far for his refusal to join the armed forces.

You can send a protest email here.

'I will not be a soldier in your army'

Omar Saad, a conscientious objector in Israel, was imprisoned on 13th January for 20 days. This is his third imprisonment so far for his refusal to join the armed forces.

You can send a protest email here.

'I will not be a soldier in your army'

Omar Saad, a conscientious objector in Israel, was reimprisoned on 22nd December for 20 days.

You can send a protest email here.

'I will not be a soldier in your army'

Seif Abu Seif , a conscientious objector in Israel, has been imprisoned.

At 18-years-old Seif Abu Seif declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army at Tal Hashomer. He was sentenced to 20 days in prison for his refusal.

You can send a protest email here.

'How can I take part in jailing and killing my brothers?'

Today Omar Saad, a conscientious objector in Israel, has been imprisoned.

At 18-years-old Omar Saad declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army in Tiberias. He was sentenced to 20 days in prison for his refusal.

You can send a protest email here.

Kim Rivera, a conscientious objector who deserted between deployments in Iraq, has just given birth to a child in prison. Unless she is given clemency now, she will be immediately separated from her son and be returned to Fort Carson to serve the rest of her sentence for desertion.

Write to the President demanding her release here: http://www.wri-irg.org/node/22733

Bar Ahronovitch, a conscientious objector in Israel, was imprisoned yesterday.

At 18-years-old Bar Ahronovitch declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army at Tal-hashomer Induction Base. He was sentenced to 20 days in prison for his refusal.

You can send a protest email here.

Ignoring international standards

Diego Arbey León Hurtado está reclutado en una zona de conflicto armado en Colombia. Está recibiendo fuertes presiones para que abandone sus creencias noviolentas y antimilitaristas. La Acción Colectiva de Objetores y Objetoras de Conciencia lo está acompañando y espera que en pocos dias le devuelvan a la libertad. En caso de querer apoyar escribir cartas de solidaridad a Diego o de presión a los militares al correo juliano@objetoresbogota.org.

Amirlan Tolkachev, a 20-year old Jehovah's Witness conscientious objector in Turkmenistan, has been sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment.

You can send a protest email here.

Background information
This sentence is a violation of Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to conscientious objection. Turkmenistan is a party to the ICCPR. As such, it is bound by the standards set out in the Covenant.

Eyal Yablonko, a conscientious objector in Israel, has been imprisoned yesterday for the second time.

18.5-years-old, from Jaffa, Eyal Yablonko declared his refusal to serve in the Israeli Army for the second time on 29th July, and was sentenced to 20 days in prison for his refusal.

You can send a protest email here.

Ignoring international standards

After his demand for political asylum was rejected by the Republic of Cyprus, Turkish conscientious objector Onur Erden was deported back to Istanbul via Jordan on Thursday, July 11th. He was arrested after his appearance in the court and transferred to military prison in Kasimpasa Naval Base in Istanbul. On 17 July, he was transferred to the 2nd Army Corps Command Military Prison in Gelibolu, Çanakkale. He remains in custody.

The last six months have seen a rapid increase in the persecution of conscientious objectors in Greece. At least six conscientious objectors have been tried or retried, with a range of results. They are Lazaros Petromelides (pictured), Nikolaos Karanikas, Michalis Tolis, Dimitris Sotiropulos, Menelaos Exioglou, Charalabos Akrivopoulos.

Please send a protest email through http://wri-irg.org/GreeceJune2013

Background information

This morning, the Israeli military's Exemption Committee declared Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc unfit for duty, six months after he initially reported to the induction centre and declared his refusal.

You can send an email to Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon, welcoming the fact that Natan will no longer be imprisoned, but urging him to ensure that in future COs are not treated similarly here: http://wri-irg.org/node/21852

Background

Israeli conscientious objector Natan Blanc has been imprisoned today for the tenth time. This is the largest number of consecutive prison terms to which any conscientious objector in Israel has ever been sentenced.