Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Colombia: Conscientious objector Diego Blanco illegally recruited

(24.03.2017) Conscientious Objector Diego Fernando Blanco López from Colombia was illegally recruited by the Colombian army, despite his right to postpone due to being a student. He is currently being forced to serve in the Grupo de Caballeria Mecanicado No 4 Juan de Corral of the Colombian Army in Rionegro, Antioquia.

Rwanda: recruitment, desertion and prosecution of soldiers

Former Soldiers are reporting

(04.01.2017) Rwanda is a landlocked African country with a recent history of war and conflict. In 1990, a rebel army, formed by mostly exiled Tutsi refugees, attacked the regular army from Uganda. The war lasted four years and the rebel group, the Rwandese Patriotic Front, took control of the country and ended the genocide of 1994. Its military branch, the Rwandese Patriotic Army, integrated some of the regular defeated army and became the Rwanda Defence Forces.

Greece: Report from trial of conscientious objector Nikos Karanikas

(11.03.2013) Nikos Karanikas is a very active and well known person. Many people came to attend his trial on 8 March, something that always presses the members of the court. It is maybe the first time that the president of the court allowed all the witnesses (10) to testify in Nikos’ defence: normally, the courts do not accept more than 4-5.

Desertion, retention plague Afghan army

(16.10.2012) Recruiting and retention problems within the Afghan military are endangering the timetable for withdrawal of U.S. and Western troops, military authorities say. About a third of the Afghan army is lost each year to desertion and low re-enlistment rates, The New York Times reported Monday.