Editorial

After a summer break we are slowly getting back on schedule with this newsletter of co-update, which is again a double issue, covering July and August. Again, we have some good news report: the United Nation's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention considers the imprisonment of Turkish conscientious objector Halil Savda as arbitrary detention (see main article).

In addition, we have more news that the trend towards abolishing or suspending conscription continues: the last Polish conscripts will be called up at the end of 2008, and Taiwan might abolish conscription in the next 4-6 years. However, these two announcements don't mention what is going to happen with the right to conscientious objection: will professional, "voluntary" soldiers have this right or not? War Resisters' International will try to find out more.

Andreas Speck