Israel has Imprisoned an 18-Year-Old ‘Conscientious Objector’

Context: Tal Mitnick of Israel has been slapped with a prison sentence for being a conscientious objector.

Why has Israel imprisoned an 18-year-old ‘conscientious objector’?

• Israeli law mandates that all citizens serve in the military for a certain duration( also known as Conscription). 
• Tal Mitnik will spend 30 days in prison for refusing to join the Israeli military.
• He has refused on the ideological grounds that ‘Slaughter cannot solve Slaughter’ and has become the latest Conscientious Objector to conscription in Israel. 

Who Is A Conscientious Objector?

• A conscientious objector is an individual who refuses to perform military service on the grounds of their conscience, often for ideological and religious reasons.
• First Example: The earliest documented conscientious objector was Maximilianus, a 21-year-old who refused to serve as a soldier in the Roman army in 295 CE. 
• Other Examples: 
  • Muhammad Ali : In 1967, as the reigning world heavyweight champion, Ali refused induction into the military, claiming the Vietnam War was against the teachings of the Quran.
  • Punishment To Ali: He was Stripped of his heavyweight title, suspended from boxing, a $10,000 fine, and a five-year prison sentence.
• International Recognition: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), adopted the right to “conscience” in international law. This has provided a legal basis for Conscientious Objector. 

Crisis of Conscience

• Definition: A crisis of conscience refers to a situation in which an individual’s beliefs or values conflict with their actions or decisions. 
  • It is a moral or ethical dilemma that arises when one is faced with a choice that goes against their conscience.
  • This can manifest when an individual is confronted with a decision or action that goes against their beliefs or values.

Source: Indian Express

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