MOSCOW, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1991

Seminar "Conscientious Objection to Military Service within the CSCE Member States" will take place in Academy of Social Sciences, Building 1, Hall 2. on September 27, 18.00 - 21.00.

Simultaneous English-Russian interpretation is provided.

Organized by Greek Committee for Conscientious Objection,

tel. in Moscow 3878548

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION TO MILITARY SERVICE

A HUMAN RIGHT

Hundreds of young people continue to be imprisoned or to live under great pressure in exile because of the denial of some CSCE Member Sates to recognize the right of their citizens to refuse on grounds of conscience to perform military service. Still, the large majority of the CSCE Member States with conscription system recognize this right and have made provisions for an alternative civilian service. The right to refuse military service for reasons of conscience is inherent in the notion of freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief. This freedom is guaranteed by a number of international human rights instruments such as the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights", the "International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights", "The European Convention of Human and Rights and Fundamental Freedoms", the "American Convention of Human Rights" and the Helsinki Final Act. Resolution 1987/46 adopted by the United Nation Commission on Human Rights views objection to military service as a "legitimate exercise

of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion". More recently, in March 1989, the Commission on Human Rights adopted resolution 1989/59, reaffirming the right to conscientious objection. It appealed to states to alter existing legislation, if necessary, to permit conscientious objection. It recommended in "States with a system of compulsory military service, where such provisions have not already been made, that they introduce for conscientious objectors various forms of alternative service which are compatible with the reasons for conscientious objection, bearing in mind the experience of some states in this respect, and that they refrain from subjecting such persons to imprisonment". Recommendation No. R(87)8 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States of the Council of Europe Regarding Conscientious Objection to Compulsory Military Service of 9 April 1987 similarly supports the provision of alternative service. It also recommends that such service "shall not be of punitive nature. Its dur

ation shall, in comparison to that of military service, remain within reasonable limits." On October 13 1989, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for "the right to be granted to all conscripts at any time (also during the service) to refuse military service, whether armed or unarmed, on grounds of conscience," urging that "a declaration setting out the individual's motives should suffice in order to obtain the status of conscientious objector" and urging that the right to an alternative to the military civilian service be recognized in the European Convention, of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The latest development concerning recognition of the right to conscientious objection came at the second session of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe / Conference on Human Dimension (CSCE/CHD) held in Copenhagen in 1990. At that time 35 participating states agreed to consider introducing, where not already in existence, "forms of alternative service in the public interest and

of non-punitive nature."