What Happens to Those Who Refuse to Fight?

International news organization Al Jazeera English has published an in-depth feature series examining the legal and social consequences faced by individuals who refuse to participate in war. In the report prepared by Al Jazeera correspondent Ava Warriner, the meaning of the right to conscientious objection under today's conditions of modern warfare is explored.

One of the fundamental questions highlighted in the report is this: What happens if a soldier or civilian refuses to fight? While the right to conscientious objection is recognized under international law in some countries, its application varies enormously from one country to the next. In some, objectors are required to perform alternative public service; in others, they face severe prison sentences and social ostracism.

Refusing military service is particularly consequential in regions experiencing active conflict, where individuals face serious legal jeopardy. Al Jazeera's report brings the importance of conscientious objection back into sharp focus at a time when a growing number of people are questioning participation in war.