UN Human Rights Committee

When the UN Human Rights Committee announced their plans to examine human rights abuses in Greece, WRI saw an opportunity to get CO issues on the international agenda and significantly raise the profile of the Greek struggle against militarism. WRI produced a comprehensive report on conscientious objection to military service in Greece detailing numerous human rights shortfalls. The report describes the legal situation in Greece vis-à-vis conscription and CO before outlining the problems and discriminatory practices that the current law causes.

CCPR/CO/83/UZB
26 April 2005

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CCPR/CO/83/GRC
25 of April 2005

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15. The Committee is concerned that the length of alternative service for conscientious objectors is much longer than military service, and that the assessment of applications for such service is solely under the control of the Ministry of Defence (art. 18).

The State party should ensure that the length of service alternative to military service does not have a punitive character, and should consider placing the assessment of applications for conscientious objector status under the control of civilian authorities.

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Kat Barton, QPSW Peaceworker with War Resisters' International, presented WRI's report on conscientious objection in Greece (which she authored) at the meeting of the Human Rights Committee in New York.

Report for the Human Rights Committee in relation to Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

February 2005

Submitted by: War Resisters' International
5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX, Britain
Tel +44-20-7278 4040; Fax +44-20-7278 0444
Email infowri-irg.org; web http://wri-irg.org

1. Main Concerns2. Introduction3. Legal Situation4.

CCPR/CO/82/POL
2 December 2004

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15. The Committee notes that the duration of alternative military service is 18 months, whereas for military service it is only 12 months (arts. 18 and 26).

The State party should ensure that the length of alternative service to military service does not have a punitive character.

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Source: http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G04/450/09/PDF/G0445009.pdf?OpenElement

CCPR/CO/82/FIN
2 December 2004

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14. The Committee regrets that the right to conscientious objection is acknowledged only in peacetime, and that the civilian alternative to military service is punitively long. It reiterates its concern at the fact that the preferential treatment accorded to Jehovah's Witnesses has not been extended to other groups of conscientious objectors.

CCPR/CO/82/MAR
1 December 2004

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22. The Committee notes that, according to the information supplied by the State party, compulsory military service is a fallback applicable only when not enough professional soldiers can be recruited, while at the same time the State party does not recognize the right to conscientious objection.

Poland was one of the countries examined during the 82nd session of the United Nations' Human Rights Committee in Geneva this autumn. The Committee took up the issue of the length of substitute service. The concluding observations of the session on 5 November (unedited version) read:

"15. The Commitee notes that the duration of alternative military service is 18 months, whereas for military service it is only 12 months (art.

Finland: War Resisters' International releases report on imprisonment of conscientious objectors in Finland

In preparation for Prisoners for Peace Day on 1 December, and for the autumn session of the UN Human Rights Committee, War Resisters' International released a new report on imprisonment of conscientious objectors in Finland. The Executive Summary of this report sums up the situation:

The right to conscientious objection is only recognised in peacetime.

Report for the Human Rights Committee in relation to Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political RightsWar Resisters' International, September 2004Main ConcernsThe right to conscientious objection is only recognised in peacetime. This means that at a time when it would be most needed -- at times of war -- conscientious objectors will not be able to act according to their conscience.

CCPR/CO/81/SEMO
12 August 2004

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21. The Committee takes note of the information provided by the delegation whereby conscientious objection is governed by a provisional decree, which is to be replaced by a law, which will recognize full conscientious objection to military service and an alternative civil service that will have the same duration as military service (art. 18).