Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Court of Appeal confirms nine months sentence for Joe Glenton

British Afghanistan war refusenik still in prison

(23.04.2010) According to information forwarded by the British organisation Payday, the High Court in London refused the appeal lodged by British Afghanistan war refusenik Joe Glenton and confirmed the sentence of nine months for having gone AWOL. Connection e.V., Iraq Veterans Against the War Europe, DFG-VK Hesse and Payday see the sentence as a measure to prevent other soldiers from speaking out their opposition to the war in Afghanistan. Rudi Friedrich of the network for conscientious objectors Connection e.V. said today, „According to figures published by the British ministry of war, more than 17,000 British soldiers have gone AWOL since 2003. They have clearly voted with their feet: Against the highly controversial war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.“ Chris Capps, spokesman of IVAW Europe,

added: “They picked out Joe Glenton because he spoke out what so many soldiers are thinking. The politicians who instigated the war should be in the dock, not people who refuse it.“

Russia: One-Year Conscription Has not Stopped Dedovshchina

(01.03.2010) Introduced in 2008, the one-year draft was intended to reduce conflict between conscripts from different draft campaigns. The ‘dedy’ or ‘grandfathers’ about to demobilize would often abuse, haze, or otherwise mistreat brand-new inductees. On Thursday, SibVO Commander, General-Lieutenant Vladimir Chirkin told reporters: “The military expected a dramatic decrease in this type of offenses, but, regrettably, hazing remains an acute problem."

USA: Attorney reports human rights abuses of GI resisters

(13.10.2009) Attorneys and veteran’s groups are alarmed by recent reports that two US Army soldiers imprisoned at the Fort Lewis Regional Correctional Facility (RCF) have been subjected to human rights abuses and violations of their constitutional rights. The civilian defense attorney of two soldiers, James M. Branum, told Truthout that both soldiers have been strip-searched while possibly being filmed. Bishop and Church have also been watched by female guards during strip-searches, while using the restroom as well as while in the showers. Both soldiers have been denied one in-person visit by their attorneys and all phone calls with their attorneys have been illegally monitored by guards.

A Vital Command Center of U.S. Army

Solidarity Note for a Demonstration at U.S. Army Airfield Wiesbaden

(06.08.2009) The importance of having a demonstration in front of this base cannot be understated. This airbase in Wiesbaden is supposed to be the future home of the US Army´s 5th corps, this is the US Army unit that was in charge of most other units in the invasion of Iraq during the push from Kuwait to Baghdad. It along with 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was put in charge of 7/8ths of the other units in Kuwait under the name Combined Joint Task Force 7.