Becoming strongly anti-militarist after experiencing the horrors of the Second World War, and influenced by the thought of Aldo Capitini, he decided to refuse to serve as a military service, going down in history as the first conscientious objector of Italy for political reasons.
173 military criminal code of peace ) , he was sentenced to prison for a first time for ten months, and then for another eight.
In addition, twenty-three British parliamentarians, chaired by the Labor Reverend Reginald W. Sorensen, signed a letter addressed to Prime Minister De Gasperi to intercede on his behalf.
Following the demonstrations that took place in his support in various cities, he was freed four weeks later at the request of clemency by the President of the Republic Giovanni Leone.
In 2012 the Faculty of Law of the University of Pisa awarded him an honorary degree in Peace Sciences.