Imprisonment of conscientious objector Giorgos Monastiriotis

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Giorgos Monastiriotis has been released from prison on 5 October 2004, and is now on bail, awaiting the outcome of his appeal. It is still important to send protest emails. Use this form to send the letter below to the relevant authority (Mr Kostas Karamanlis, Prime Minister of Greece). You can add your own notes in a separate box after the standard text, if you wish. You must include a name, address, and email address; a copy will be sent to you with a cc to the WRI office (so we have a record of how many email letters have been sent out for this particular case).

Dear Prime Minister Mr Kostas Karamanlis

I am very concerned about the recent imprisonment of conscientious objector Giorgos Monastiriotis, who presently is on bail awaiting the outcome of his appeal. I learned today that Giorgos Monastiriotis was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison, for refusing to participate in a Navy operation which was part of operation "Enduring Freedom" in May 2003, and declared his resignation from the Hellenic Navy.
The Hellenic Republic does not recognise the right to conscientious objection for professional soldiers, contrary to numerous resolution by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, and the Council of Europe. The right to conscientious objection is universal, and professional soldiers too can develop a conscientious objection, and should then be provided with the option to be discharged from the military. As Greece does not provide this option, Giorgos Monastiriotis did not have any other choice than to declare his resignation from the Navy unilaterally. His imprisonment for 3 years and 4 months is a serious violation of his human right to conscientious objection.
I therefore urge you to stop the proceedings against Giorgos Monastiriotis, and to immediately discharge him from the Navy. I urge you to respect human rights.