Around the world…

25 Aug 2011 | by Derek Brett

Derek Brett highlights the challenges still facing conscientious objectors throughout the globe in a series of country profiles

'Even the countries that recognise that some people who willingly joined the armed forces do later become conscientious objectors make it hard to get out' | Photo: Jayel Aheram/flickr CC

South Korea

The flag of South Korea | Wikimedia Commons

Ninety per cent of the world’s imprisoned conscientious objectors are in South Korea. Since 1950, 16,296 Jehovah’s Witnesses have been sentenced to a total of 31,204 years’ imprisonment for refusing to perform military service. In recent years they have been joined by other Christians, Buddhists and ‘secular’ pacifists. Last autumn there were 945 conscientious objectors in prison, including 843 Jehovah’s Witnesses.

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