CO-Update

Dear readers of CO-Update.

An Egyptian military court sentenced pacifist blogger and conscientious objector Maikel Nabil Sanad on 10 April to three years' imprisonment on charges of "insulting the military". Maikel Nabil Sanad was arrested at his home by military police on 28 March 2011, The military court ordered his detention for 15 days, pending the investigation.

On 29 March 2011, Paraguay passed a decree to form a National Council on Conscientious Objection to Military Service. According to the law on conscientious objection passed last year (see CO-Update No 57, July 2010), this Council is responsible for the recognition of applications for conscientious objection.

In a move seen as an attempt to address widespread discontent in the
country, Syrian president Assad issued Legislative Decree No. 35 for
2011 on 19 March 2011 lessening mandatory army conscription from 21
months to 18 months. The decress will come into force on 1 June 2011.
In 2005, military service had been shortened to two years.

The German Federal Bureau of Migration and Refugees denied the
asylum application of US AWOL soldier Andre Shepherd, Connection e.V.
reported. In its negative decision, the Federal Bureau writes, “But
whether the helicopters he maintained and their crews actually
participated in specific illegal actions (contrary to international
law) has neither been stated sufficiently, nor can it be determined
specifically otherwise.

WRI/ofog Seminar and WRI Council meeting in Luleå, Sweden

This year's WRI Council meeting will take place from 19-21 July 2011 in Luleå, in the very north of Sweden. The Council meeting itself is part of a seminar and action camp under the title "War Starts Here", organised by WRI's new Swedish affiliate ofog. The camp and seminar will begin on 22 July, and last until 29 July.

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)