Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Colombia: Brayan Gonzales Blanco recruited irregularly by the army

(19.02.2020) On September 2, 2019 Brayan Gonzales Blanco was irregularly recruited by the Army to perform military service in Battalion No. 13 located in the municipality of Ubalá-Cundinamarca (Colombia). He has been incorporated for five months. In the first week of February, 2020 he began the process to define his military status as a conscientious objector and requested to be released. This has led to the military authorities within the battalion exerting psychological violence on him, putting his emotional well-being at risk.

Please send support letters to the Colombian authorities: https://wri-irg.org/es/programmes/rrtk/co-support-email/2020/desacuartelamiento-para-brayan-gonzales-blanco-reclutado

Colombia: Statement of Conscientious Objectors

(26.04.2019) On this International Conscientious Objection Day, we stand in solidarity with conscientious objectors in Colombia, who refuse to be conscripted and bear arms despite various obstacles they face.

Below you will find a statement by conscientious objectors in Colombia, giving a background of their struggle and urging their government to act on a number of issues. If you would like to know more about the situation of conscientious objectors in Colombia you can read a recent report by ACOOC and Justapaz here  (in Spanish), or download its summary (in English) here.

Colombia: Conscientious objector Diego Blanco illegally recruited

(24.03.2017) Conscientious Objector Diego Fernando Blanco López from Colombia was illegally recruited by the Colombian army, despite his right to postpone due to being a student. He is currently being forced to serve in the Grupo de Caballeria Mecanicado No 4 Juan de Corral of the Colombian Army in Rionegro, Antioquia.

Colombia: Conscientious objector Jose Luis Peña detained for desertion

Call for letters of protest

(01.12.2010) Objetores y Objetoras de Conciencia ACOOC reported about the detention of conscientious objector Jose Luis Peña. Jose Luis was detained by the Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad DAS on the 11th of November of 2010, as a deserter. After his detention in Bogota he was sent on the 15th of November to Leticia following the orders of Judge No 10 de Instruccion Penal Militar Batallon de Infanteria y Selva No. 50.