Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Britain: Conscientious objector Michael Lyons sentenced to 7 months’ imprisonment

(05.07.2011) A military court in Portsmouth sentenced British conscientious objector Michael Lyons to seven months’ imprisonment today, following a two-day trial. Michael Lyons joined the Royal Navy as a medic in 2005, and in May 2010 he was notified that he would be deployed to Afghanistan later that year. Soon after, he applied for discharge as a conscientious objector, as he had developed a conscientious objection to participating in the war in Afghanistan in particular, and against war in general.

Egypt: Pacifist blogger and conscientious objector Maikel Nabil Sanad sentenced to three years in prison

(11.04.2011) War Resisters’ International has learnt this morning that pacifist blogger and conscientious objector Maikel Nabil Sanad has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment yesterday on charges of "insulting the military". Yesterday, in front of the military court in Nasr City in Cairo, his family and friends were told that the trial had been adjourned, while in fact it was happening, and Maikel Nabil Sanad was being sentenced to prison, without his family or lawyers present. This is an outrageous violation of the right to fair trial according to article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

South Korea: Conscientious objector Sangwoo Kang imprisoned for 18 months

(08.03.2011) War Resisters’ International received information that South Korean gay conscientious objector Sangwoo Kang, 28, has been imprisoned for 18 months for his refusal to perform military service.

Turkey: Conscientious objector Halil Savda sentenced

Five months’ imprisonment for solidarity with Israeli conscientious objectors

(07.03.2011) Turkish conscientious objector Halil Savda has been finally sentenced on 3 March 2011 to five months’ imprisonment for a solidarity statement for Israeli conscientious objectors Itzik Shabbat and Amir Pasteur on 1 August 2006. Halil Savda was initially sentenced on 2 June 2008 by the Sultanahmet 1st Court of First Instance in Istanbul to five months’ imprisonment for the press statement, but appealed against the sentence. This sentence was now upheld and finalised by the Court of Appeals.