CO-Update

Again, our work for the right to conscientious objection got some positive outcome: The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention gave an opinion on three cases from Colombia presented by War Resisters' International, and clearly stated that the recruitment of conscientious objectors constitutes a form of arbitrary detention (see main article). While this does not change the situation on the ground in Colombia immediately, it is nevertheless a great and important victory for all conscientious objectors in Colombia and beyond.

An important legal victory for conscientious objectors in Colombia

The Working
Group on Arbitrary Detention declared in its Opinion No 8/2008 (Colombia) the practice of recruitment in the form of raids
(batidas), and the recruitment of conscientious objectors a form of "arbitrary detention". This is an important legal victory for conscientious objectors in Colombia, although the opinions of the Working Group are legally non-binding.

A South Korean appelate court has again asked the Constitutional Court to rule whether article 88 paragraph 1 of the South Korean conscription law, which makes conscientious objection to military service illegal, is unconstitutional. This move comes at a time when the South Korean government is delaying the implementation of a law on conscientious objection.

U.S. army deserter Jeremy Hinzman and his family were granted a last-minute stay of deportation on Monday, 22 September, by a Federal Court judge while the court decides whether to hear their appeal.

Jeremy Hinzman, his wife and two children were ordered to leave Canada by 23 September 2008 or face forcible deportation to the United States, where the soldier faces prosecution for fleeing to Canada in 2004 rather than deploying with his army unit to Iraq.

The Azerbaijani Parliament believes that the introduction of a substitute service for conscientious objectors may cause youth to divert from serving in the army in the country.

“Therefore, alternative service should be long-term and its terms should be more difficult than the army service to prevent people to divert from the military service under some pretexts,” Safa Mirzayev, the head of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s Administration, said at a news conference on 27 September.

Prisoners for Peace Day 2008 is an opportunity to support all those who are imprisoned for their conscientious objection to military service or nonviolent resistance to militarism and war.

1 December 1956, was the first time WRI 'celebrated' Prisoners for Peace Day. This was done by publishing a Prisoners for Peace Honour Roll and calling on all members of WRI sections to send postcards and letters to the prisoners.

We ask you to:

In the previous month(s), the WRI office issued the following co-alerts:

(a full archive of co-alerts is available at wri-irg.org/news/alerts)