Greece

In this presentation I will give an overview of the right to conscientious objection, its
legal practices and frameworks in the 27 European Union member states. Before I do so, I want to step back a bit and have a brief look at the existing international standards about the right to
conscientious objection, as these standards allow us to put the practices in the EU member states into a perspective.

Service required to replace military service

The situation concerning alternative military service has changed significantly since the decision on the merits of 25 April 2001 in collective complaint No. 8/2000 - Quaker Council of European Affairs v. Greece – which found that the situation in Greece was incompatible with Article 1§2 because of the excessive length of alternative service.

In the previous month(s), the WRI office issued the following co-alerts:

Joint appeal by Amnesty International, the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection and War Resisters' International

Lazaros Petromelidis (45) has been repeatedly sentenced by military courts for his conscientious objection to military service and is again in danger of arrest and imprisonment.

Representatives of conscientious objection and human rights organisations from several European countries, meeting in Athens over the weekend, call for Greece, Cyprus and Turkey to recognise the right to conscientious objection according to European and international standards.

The European Committee of Social Rights has repeatedly dealt with the issue of the length of substitute service - especially in the cases of Greece and Finland. In recent years, it has taken up the issue on its own in several conclusions on country reports. We publish the relevant parts below (thanks go to the European Buereau for Conscientious Objection):

Estonia

"The Committee previously noted that legislation provided for alternative service to compulsory military service, but sought further clarification on the length of such alternative service.

Service in place of military service

Conscientious objection as it is "generally" understood today was first legally recognised in Europe and Australia in the early 20th century. However, legal and political concepts of conscientious objection are varied, and movements for conscientious objection respond to militarism differently, based on political circumstances and systems of recruitment.

Based on three case studies, the authors explain important issues/challenges for CO movements.

European Committee of Social Rights:
Conclusions XVIII-1 (Greece)
Articles 1, 12, 13, 16 and 19 of the Charter

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Service in place of military service

On 30 March, CO Baltoukas was declared innocent unanimously by the Appeal Military Court at Thessaloniki. Nikolaos Baltoukas, 38, had been sentenced to a suspended 15-month for insubordination by the Military Court of Xanthi on 18 May 2005. Nikos Baltoukas, had performed his military service in 1990-91. When he was called up for reserve duty on 31 October 2004, he refused to report, based on reasons of conscience.

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Conscientious objectors

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POLITICAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE QUESTION OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

Addendum
Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies received

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Communication
Government: Greece
sent on 9 June 2005