Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Eritrea: HRW raises concern as forced conscription continues

(16.03.2019) Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised concern that Eritrea’s controversial policy of forced conscription continues, despite a peace deal signed with neighbouring Ethiopia last year.

Last year’s peace deal brought an end to the “state of war” between the two countries, prompting hope that Eritrea would bring an end to its forced conscription programme, which has been labelled as “enslavement” by various rights groups. However, HRW says no meaningful changes have been made to the policy since the peace deal was signed last year.

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.

The peace deal with Ethiopia has not changed Afwerki’s Eritrea

If anything, it has actually strengthened his regime.

(12.10.2018) After signing an historic peace deal with Ethiopia, and receiving unprecedented levels of positive media coverage, Eritrea applied for a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). As a member of the UNHRC, Eritrea will have the right to vote on UN's human rights resolutions, including the ones that are about its own abuses, for a period of three years. So, as Eritrea prepares to take its place in a top human rights body, let me provide some insight into what the country really looks like today, despite high hopes and optimistic media reports about imminent political changes.

South Korea: Conscientious objectors’ unending legal battle

Top court delays ruling, mulls human rights record

(22.07.2018) The Constitutional Court is poised to conclude another milestone conscientious objection case, weeks after a historic June 28 ruling where it overturned South Korea's long-standing stance to alternative military service. The top court will wrap up a class-action complaint filed in 2011 by 433 conscience objectors who claimed that they were human rights victims but that they were unable to get adequate compensation from the government because of the absence of legislation. Those who filed the complaint urged the top court to take necessary measures, so the government could compensate them and expunge their criminal records.