Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Israel: From military truck driver to conscientious objector

Roman Levin sentenced to 30 days imprisonment

(10.03.2019) The Israeli army has sent Roman Levin to Military Prison 6, after he arrived at the military base where he had served for a year and a half and informed his commanding officer of his refusal to continue any further military service.

South Korea: After historic breakthrough, conscientious objectors face new challenges

(26.02.2019) South Korea’s Ministry of Defense proposed a system for alternative service to the military on Dec. 28, following a historic decision by the Constitutional Court in June, which ruled that the existing law does not guarantee freedom of conscience.

The court’s decision —which was a major victory for the movement to recognize conscientious objection in South Korea — has sparked a fierce debate over the issue. There have been tangible achievements, such as the Supreme Court finding a conscientious objector to be innocent for the first time ever on Nov. 1. However, the struggle over how the alternative service system will work is just beginning:

Turkish actress jailed for role in play supporting conscientious objector

(01.02.2019) A Turkish actress has been sent to prison for five months for “alienating the public from military service” after acting in a theatre adaptation of Russian author Nikolai Gogol’s short story “The Overcoat,” Turkish news site T24 reported on Thursday.

Turkmenistan: New year, new jailed conscientious objector

12 conscientious objector are now jailed

(22.01.2019) With the 7 January one-year jailing of 18-year-old Azamatjan Narkulyev, 12 conscientious objectors – all Jehovah's Witnesses - are now jailed for refusing compulsory military service on grounds of conscience. No officials would comment on why, in defiance of United Nations calls, Turkmenistan jails these young men.