Failing to obey orders

Individuals or groups such as officials, employees and military personnel may refuse to obey orders usually on moral grounds as they recognize those orders carried out would lead to harmful or unjust consequences. They are then faced with whether to obey them, and should obedience be the basis for their employment they are liable to lose their job, or be subject to other penalties, if they fail to execute the order.

During the Chechnya war that started in 1994 for independence from Russia, many soldiers including top ranking officials refused to obey orders on moral grounds or others. For instance, the first deputy commander of Russia's land forces, had refused to head up the Chechen operation last month because he felt the troops were unprepared. Orders may be refused because they would otherwise endanger the environment. In some countries there is authorization not to execute orders which are manifestly unlawful, but it remains difficult to define the meaning of manifestly by reference to international law. Despite acceptance of the principle, in concrete settings it remains easier for the individual to execute such an order rather than be exposed to the penalties of failing to do so.