Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Turkey: Conscientious objector İnan Süver

Call to write solidarity and protest letters

(03.09.2010) War Resisters’ International (WRI) has been informed that Turkish conscientious objector İnan Süver was in hunger strike beginning of September 2010. He ended his hunger strike for health reasons. It is not known to WRI what prompted the hunger strike, and what are the demands. İnan Süver was detained in Istanbul on 5 August 2010, and has been transferred to the military prison in Izmir on 23 August, where he is presently being held in pre-trial detention.

Turkey: Conscientious Objector Aydemir Free!

15 Months of Military Service or 3 Years of Torture!

(10.06.2010) Conscientious objector Aydemir was released upon an "incapability report". His lawyer criticized that the legislation lacks provisions on conscientious objection. Turkey is one of three countries of the European Council that does not recognize the right to conscientious objection.

Myanmar: Boy, 15, Killed by Troops after Resisting Enlistment

(31.05.2010) Burmese army soldiers (Mynmar - the ed.) killed a 15-year-old boy who refused to be enlisted, according to a leading labor activist. Aye Myint, of the “Guiding Star” labor rights group, told exile media on Monday that troops of Infantry Battalion No. 586, based in Pegu Division, captured two boys they found fishing at night in a paddy field. The two boys resisted demands to join the battalion. One, identified as Tin Min Naing, was shot and then killed with a pitchfork as he tried to flee. The soldiers released the second boy, Kyaw Win Aung, who was given refuge at a temple.

Court of Appeal confirms nine months sentence for Joe Glenton

British Afghanistan war refusenik still in prison

(23.04.2010) According to information forwarded by the British organisation Payday, the High Court in London refused the appeal lodged by British Afghanistan war refusenik Joe Glenton and confirmed the sentence of nine months for having gone AWOL. Connection e.V., Iraq Veterans Against the War Europe, DFG-VK Hesse and Payday see the sentence as a measure to prevent other soldiers from speaking out their opposition to the war in Afghanistan. Rudi Friedrich of the network for conscientious objectors Connection e.V. said today, „According to figures published by the British ministry of war, more than 17,000 British soldiers have gone AWOL since 2003. They have clearly voted with their feet: Against the highly controversial war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.“ Chris Capps, spokesman of IVAW Europe,

added: “They picked out Joe Glenton because he spoke out what so many soldiers are thinking. The politicians who instigated the war should be in the dock, not people who refuse it.“