Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

South Korea: Government plans tougher regulations against conscientious objectors

Urgent Action

(17.12.2018) On 13 December 2018, another hearing was held in Seoul, South Korea, on a legislative amendment proposing a so-called alternative service for conscientious objectors. As it turns out, the government does, in fact, provide for stricter regulations that have conscientious objectors serve and live exclusively in detention centers for a period nearly twice as long, viz. 36 months.

Connection e.V. calls to support South Korean conscientious objectors. You can send a protest letter or eMail to the President of the Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-in, and to the Defence Minister, Jeong Kyeong-doo, with this form: https://en.Connection-eV.org/southkorea-form.

Israel: Refusers Hilel Garmi and Adam Rafaelov imprisoned again

(13.12.2018) Conscientious objectors Hilel Garmi, 19, and Adam Rafaelov, 18, from Israel have been imprisoned again for their refusal to serve in the military. Adam Rafaelov was sentenced to 10 days in military prison on 7th December. This is Rafaelov's seventh imprisonment since July. Upon completing his current sentence, he will have served 87 days in total behind bars. Hilel Garmi, who has already spent 97 days behind bars, has also been imprisoned again. On 11th December, Garmi was sentenced to 10 more days in military prison. This is Garmi's seventh imprisonment.

South Korea: 58 conscientious objectors to be released from prison simultaneously

13 still remain behind bars

(27.11.2018) Fifty-eight South Koreans who had been imprisoned for conscientious objection to mandatory military service based on religious grounds will be simultaneously released. Thirteen conscientious objectors will still remain behind bars.

IHD Call for the Immediate Release of today detained persons

Turgut Tarhanlı, Betül Tanbay, Çiğdem Mater and Anadolu Kültür Staff detained

(16.11.2018) In the early hours of the morning on 16 November 2018, the Dean of Bilgi University’s Law School Prof. Dr. Turgut Tarhanlı, Prof. Dr. Betül Tanbay of Boğaziçi University, producer and author Çiğdem Mater, and Anadolu Kültür Association staff were taken into custody following raids into their homes. No information could be obtained earlier other than the investigation file was dated back to 2014 but now the content of the investigation is revealed through the information note issued by the Istanbul Police Department.