CO-Update

Dear readers of CO-Update.

Welcome to the last issue of CO-Update for 2010. Due to staff holidays, the next issue will only be published in January 2011.

Maikel Nabil, Egypt's first openly declared conscientious objector, was due to report to military service on 22 October - but did not do so.

War Resisters' International received reports from several of its partners in Colombia that batidas - the recruitment of young men in raids on the streets - are continueing. Some of those recruited during recent batidas declared their conscientious objection, and two are listed on WRI's Prisoners for Peace Honour Roll 2010.

In October 2010, the Venezuelan government has backed down regarding the compulsory registration for military service, which would have come into force on 21 October 2010. In October last year, the Venezuelan parliament passed a new law on military recruitment, which for the first time also introduced compulsory military service registration for Venezuelan women (See CO-Update No 52, November-December 2009).

19.11.2010–21.11.2010 Lisbon (P)

The No-to-NATO-coalition organizes a manifestation, counter-conference and actions of civil disobedience. The official agenda contains approval of the new Strategic Concept, a decision on NATO's involvement in missile defence.

There are also discussions on actions of civil disobedience before or during the NATO summit.

Contact: War Resisters' International
Email: info@wri-irg.org
http://wri-irg.org/node/11051

Mark the dates: the WRI Council meeting 2011 will take place during the time of the action camp at the camp itself in Luleå in the north of Sweden. At present, the dates penciled in for the Council are 19-21 July 2011, followed by a seminar organised by/with ofog, and then training and action...

More information on the WRI Council meeting, and also on the seminar, will be available closer to the time. But please keep the dates free...

Please contact the WRI office for more information:
War Resisters' International
5 Caledonian Road
London N1 9DX, Britain

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)

26 Oct 2010: COLOMBIA: Conscientious objector Juan Diego Agudelo recruited by force 22 Oct 2010: TURKMENISTAN: Conscientious objectors Ahmet Hudaybergenov, Aziz Roziev and Dovleyet Byashimov sentenced to prison