Swiss May Not Punish Conscientious Objectors
The Swiss government Wednesday proposed abolishing criminal punishment for people who have conscientious objections to serving in the army.
However, it said in a bill to be introduced in Parliament that it will continue to punish those who refuse on political grounds.
All Swiss men over 20 are required to serve in the army. After an initial four-month training period, they must return regularly for duty until they are 50. Last year, 788 people were jailed for an average of six months for refusing to serve, and 234 of those filed conscientious objections.
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