Comment, analysis, news

European Court of Human Rights affirms the right to conscientious objection to military service

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.

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Back in the trenches?

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.

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The big red cross

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

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‘UK employs US army recruiting tactics’

An exclusive interview with Ben Griffin, spokesman for Veterans for Peace, and former SAS soldier

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Hey sergeant, leave them kids alone

In July ForcesWatch launched the Military Out of Schools campaign. Speakers Oskar Castro, a US activist in countering military recruitment, and Ben Griffin, ex-forces and the founder of fledgling Veterans for Peace UK, discussed how young people are militarised and what can be done about it.

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Teachers reject ‘Army propaganda’

Teachers have voted to oppose military recruitment activities in schools if they employ "misleading propaganda".

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Britain’s own child soldiers

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

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Dalston Army Showroom Closes

We're celebrating after the closure of the army showroom in the Kingsland shopping centre. We've been campaigning against the centre for two years.

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Army closes Hackney recruitment centre – for now

A controversial Army recruitment office has closed just two years after it opened amidst protests by anti war and gun campaigners.

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Court martial for Navy medic conscientious objector

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

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