ABSTRACT: Resolution presented by Elles Lady, Emma Bonino and others on the right to conscientious objection in eastern european countries, on the 15th December 1987 and approved by the European Parliament on the 17th December 1987 ( Doc. 1484/87)

The European Parliament,

- whereas on the sixth anniversary of General Jaruzelski's coup d'etat in 1981,Europe has a duty to reaffirm the universal worth of human rights and democracy,

- whereas legislation in Poland, the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia does not recognise the right to conscientious objection, although now, following successive votes in the Unites Nations and the Council of Europe, this is a right widely recognised throughout the world,

- whereas the delay in reforming the legislation in those countries runs counter to the declarations concerning peace and democracy made by most of their leaders,

- whereas, so that the right to conscientious objection may be recognised in the aforementioned countries, Poles, Frenchmen, Italians, Yugoslavs, Spaniards, Greeks and Belgians have chosen that date to begin a two-week fast,

- whereas the disarmament treaty recently signed by Mr Reagan and Mr Gorbachev will become all the more important if it acts as a starting point for a new political and legal system in the Eastern European countries not civil and political rights - including the right to conscientious objection - being genuinely recognised,

- whereas, moreover , the recognition in the Eastern European or self-styled non-aligned countries of the right to conscientious objection would simply strengthen and consolidate the need for humanisation of the rights recognised under the Helsinki Accords, all the more so since virtually all Western European countries now recognise this right and the only one not to do so is getting ready to bring its legislation into line with the resolution of the European Parliament contained in the Macciocchi report(in the next few months),

Calls therefore, for:

1. the right to refuse to do armed military service on grounds of conscience, or on political, philosophical or religious grounds to be guaranteed;

2. the principles of the free movement of persons and ideas, as laid down in the Final Act of Helsinki and to which all our countries, as well as the USSR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia subscribe, to be properly respected;

Hopes that:

3. as an initial good will gesture, and pending reform of their legislation the competent authorities in the USSR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia will suspend the prison sentence imposed on the following conscientious objectors:

Yacek BORCZ ,of Kotobrzeg, Poland, sentenced to three years'imprisonment,

Wojciech NITSINSKI, of Przasnysz, Poland, awaiting sentence,

Piotr BEDNARZ, of Gdynia, Poland , awaiting sentence,

Wieslaw SOLIDAWSKI, of Przanysz, Poland, awaiting sentence,

Wotchek WOZNIAK, of Szczecin, Poland, awaiting sentence,

Marek CZACHOR ,of Gdynia, Poland, awaiting sentence

Slawomir DUTKIEWICZ,of Poland, awaiting sentence,

Oskar KASPEREK, of Poland,sentenced to two years' imprisonment,

Piotr ROZYCKI, of Bydgoszcz,Poland, sentenced to two and a half years'imprisonment,

Jaroslaw WALISZEWSKI , of Szczecin,Poland, awaiting sentence,

Mariusz BAJDA, of Szczecin, Poland, awaiting sentence,

Szolt KESZTHELYI , of Budapest, Hungary, sentenced to three years'imprisonment,

Michail KOPOT, of Pustomiti, USSR,

Wsewolod PHILIPPJEW, USSR,

Darko STRUS, of Krany, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three years' imprisonment,

Miran PAVLICH, of Radovljca, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three and a half years'imprisonment,

Rudolf MEDEN, of Ljubjana, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment

James NOVAK, of Litija, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three years' imprisonment,

Marko LENCIEK, of Lubj, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment,

Stefan PRAPRETNIK , of Maribor, Yugoslavia, sentenced to two years and eight months' imprisonment,

Darko VALENTA, of Maribor, Yugoslavia, sentenced to eleven months' imprisonment,

Majcen BENJAMIN , of Maribor, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three years' imprisonment,

Kukli OTA, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three years' imprisonment,

Ganko CEHTEL, of Maribor, Yugoslavia, sentenced to one years' imprisonment,

Toni BERJAVER, of Maribor, Yugoslavia, sentenced to one years' imprisonment,

Rajko VALENTA, of Maribor, Yugoslavia, sentenced to one years' imprisonment,

Dragan VELJKOVIC,of Negatin, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three years'imprisonment,

Yoze RAKUSA, of Gorngog Radygoni, Yugoslavia, sentenced to three years' imprisonment,

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments of the countries referred to therein.