Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Navy Afghan war objector detained

Michael LyonsMichael Lyons was also dismissed from the Royal Navy
Related Stories

A Royal Navy medic has been sentenced to seven months' detention after refusing to undergo rifle training.

Leading Medical Assistant Michael Lyons, 25, of Plymouth, said he had a "moral objection" to bearing arms and the war in Afghanistan.

At the time he refused training he was waiting to have his status as a conscientious objector confirmed. It was later rejected.

He was found guilty of disobeying a lawful order at the court martial.

Lyons will serve his sentence in a military correction facility.

He had denied a charge of disobeying a lawful order, but was found guilty by a panel of senior officers at Portsmouth Naval Base.

Lyons, who had been based at HMS Drake in Plymouth, was also demoted to the rank of able seaman and dismissed from the service.

His supporters stood up and applauded as he was marched from the court.

The medic had been sent for a pre-deployment course on how to use the SA80 service rifle at HMS Excellent in Portsmouth on 20 September 2010.

He was ordered to commence the course by Warrant Officer Robert Bainbridge but refused, the court was told.

As a medic, he objected to being trained to use a weapon and was against the war itself.

Commander Darren Reed, prosecuting, said Lyons told police in interview that he felt he "wasn't able to carry out the order on moral and ethical grounds".

Mr Reed added: "He did believe that was an unlawful order."

His court martial was only the third to be held with conscientious objection as a defence.

Fiona Edington, defending, said Lyons originally joined the navy at 18 but had since developed a moral objection to the war in Afghanistan.

"Throughout the time he has behaved with impeccable politeness. This is an isolated incident by a man with a conscience," she said.

She told the court medics had a "protected status" under the Geneva convention, meaning they were non-combatants who had a right to bear arms for self-defence and the protection of a patient.

This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-devon-14028167

barry white pasta salad recipe coloring pages coloring pages latex rio torchlight

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.