Poland

The German Marshall Fund of the United States annually does a survey on important "transatlantic trends", which can make an interesting read. One of the questions asked is: "Please tell me to what extent do you agree with the following: Under some conditions, was is necessary to obtain justice." (Q29.2). The answers are quite revealing (see graphic below).

Following the decision to suspend conscription and to transform Poland's Armed Forces into fully professional forces, the last batch of 3,200 conscripts was recruited in December 2008, to serve nine months of military service. Polish Minister of National Defence Bogdan Klich stated during a Parliament session on 4 December 2008 that the process of professionalisation of the Polish military consists of 3 stages. “Currently, we completed the second one i.e.

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.

Issues

Poland does not recognise the right to conscientious objection for professional soldiers.

Military recruitment
Conscription

According to article 85 paragraph 1 of the Polish constitution, “it shall be the duty of every
Polish citizen to defend the Homeland”. However, paragraph 2 says: “The nature of military service shall be specified by statute”1.

Poland's defence minister, Bogdan Klich, said the country will move towards a professional army and that from January, only volunteers will join the armed forces.

CCPR/CO/82/POL
2 December 2004

(...)

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.

(...)

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

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.