news about conscientious objection

Imprisoned Navy conscientious objector to appeal conviction in High Court
12/10/2011 ForcesWatch press release

Navy medic Michael Lyons, a conscientious objector convicted of disobedience, who was detained in July, stripped of his rank and dismissed from the service, will be at the High Court 13 October to appeal his conviction. A recent European ruling recognises conscientious objection for first time as human right.

conscientious objection, Michael Lyons
The big red cross
01/10/2011 Peace News

Lillian Lyons, wife of imprisoned conscientious objector Michael Lyons, describes why he refused the “learning to kill” course.

conscientious objection, Michael Lyons
Back in the trenches?
14/07/2011 The Friend

Within the same week, the UK conscientious objector Michael Lyons was detained for 7 months and a landmark ruling in favour of conscientious objection was made by the European Court of Human Rights.

conscientious objection
Britain's own child soldiers
07/07/2011 The Guardian

A third of army recruits are under 18. Is it right to target the young and the underachieving poor?

conscientious objection, military in schools colleges, recruitment age
European Court of Human Rights affirms the right to conscientious objection to military service
07/07/2011 War Resisters International

The European Court of Human Rights, in a ground-breaking judgment in the case of Bayatyan v. Armenia, has ruled that states have a duty to respect individuals’ right to conscientious objection to military service as part of their obligation to respect the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion set out in Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

conscientious objection
Navy medic sentenced to seven months in military correction centre for disobeying orders
06/07/2011 British Forces News

A Royal Navy medic has been sentenced to seven months' detention in a military correction facility after being found guilty of disobeying orders by refusing to attend rifle training because of his "moral objection" to bearing arms and the war in Afghanistan.

conscientious objection, Michael Lyons
Navy medic detained for refusing training over WikiLeaks claims
05/07/2011 The Guardian

A Royal Navy medic has been sentenced to seven months' detention for refusing rifle training prior to deployment in Afghanistan after developing moral objections.

conscientious objection, Michael Lyons
Court martial for Navy medic conscientious objector
02/07/2011 ForcesWatch press release

A medic in the Royal Navy will face court martial on Monday 4 July despite declaring that he is a conscientious objector.

conscientious objection, Michael Lyons, the Armed Forces Bill 2011
“A coward and a malingerer”
28/06/2011 York Vision

Megan Graham looks into modern day conscientious objection in the armed forces.

conscientious objection
How soldiers deal with the job of killing
11/06/2011 BBC online

"We talk about destroying, engaging, dropping, bagging - you don't hear the word killing”. This article explores the effect of killing on people in the military, how many are unable to kill and others live with the effects of having killed for the rest of their lives. Also see The Kill Factor radio broadcasts.

conscientious objection, risks

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Conscientious objector, Michael Lyons has been released (9 Nov 2011). Michael, a medic in the Royal Navy, was sentenced to 7 months detention on 5 July 2011, for 'wilful disobedience' for not taking part in rifle training while his request for discharge as a conscientious objector was proceding. Read more here.

Read more about Michael's case and our work to get more recognition for the right of conscientious objection here.