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European Court of Human Rights affirms the right to conscientious objection to military service
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.
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.
The big red cross
Lillian Lyons, wife of imprisoned conscientious objector Michael Lyons, describes why he refused the “learning to kill” course.
‘UK employs US army recruiting tactics’
An exclusive interview with Ben Griffin, spokesman for Veterans for Peace, and former SAS soldier
Hey sergeant, leave them kids alone
Peace News
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.
Bullying, harassment and racism complaints soar in the Armed Forces
Complaints of bullying, harassment, racism and sexism in the Armed Forces have leapt 50 per cent in a year, a report revealed yesterday.
Report into military veterans in prison
An inquiry into former armed service personnel in prison has found no evidence that having served for your country makes veterans more likely to end up in prison than civilians.
But the Howard League for Penal Reform report did find military veterans are twice as likely to become convicted sex offenders than members of the general public and that veterans are more likely to commit violent offences.
Ex-military more likely to be jailed for violent and sexual offences
Veterans in both the US and UK are more likely to serve prison sentences for violent and sexual offences than those in the civilian population.