On April the 1st the United Nations Human Rights Committee adopted its concluding observations on Finland's seventh periodic report on the implementation of the Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Committees' criticism towards the situation of conscientious objectors has further increased compared to previous conclusions issued in 2013.
In this joint submission, the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection and the Association of Greek Conscientious Objection provide information under section (a) Contributions to UPR documentation by “Other Stakeholders”, including civil society and national human rights institutions of the 3rd UPR cycle: contributions and participation of "other stakeholders" in the UPR.
While the right to conscientious objection is recognized in international standards and legislation, only a limited number of European countries grant the status of conscientious objector to professional members of the armed forces.
“The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection publishes today its Annual Report on Conscientious Objection to Military Service in Europe 2020, in honour of Jean Van Lierde (1926-2006) who was born on 15th February, the most famous Belgian conscientious objector and first EBCO President”, EBCO’s Vice-President Sam Biesemans stated today.
“After decades of lobbying and campaigning, it’s now a reality! Nuclear weapons have now become illegal under international law. This is a ground breaking step towards a world free of nuclear weapons!”, Alexia Tsouni, EBCO president stated today.
The retrial of Ukrainian journalist, pacifist and conscientious objector Ruslan Kotsaba started yesterday, and what is more, he was attacked by a far-right mob and sprayed with a fire extinguisher with the mob chanting “Death to the enemies! Ukraine above all!”
Ukrainian journalist, conscientious objector and a member of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement Ruslan Kotsabawill be on trial again on Friday (22nd January) for a video he posted in 2015 in which he was calling to boycott military mobil
On 5 January 2021 sixty Israeli teenagers published an open letter addressed to top Israeli officials, in which they declared their refusal to serve in the army in protest of its policies of occupation and apartheid.
You can now watch online the original french version of the documentary "Maurice Montet: conscientious objector and integral pacifist" here
It was published by FemArtAct today, on 1/1/2021, to honor the 100 years of War Resisters' International!
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Vous pouvez désormais visionner en ligne la version originale française du documentaire "Maurice Montet: objecteur de conscience et pacifiste intégral" ici