UN Human Rights Committee

FINLAND CCPR/C/FIN/CO/6
14. While welcoming the legislative changes allowing for non-military services applications during mobilizations and serious disturbances and the fact that total objectors can be exempted from unconditional imprisonment, the Committee reiterates its concerns that the length of non-military service is almost twice the duration of the period of service for the rank and file and that the preferential treatment accorded to Jehovah’s Witnesses has not been extended to other groups of conscientious objectors (art. 18).

UKRAINE: CCPR/C/UKR/CO/7

Back to the Contents of the book

Ralf Willinger

Empowering conscientious objectors to take advantage of human rights mechanisms

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riLHRtZ4Biw width:400 height:300]

IFOR representiative Derek Brett gives an introduction to the status of conscientious objection in human rights law.

With thanks to Paul at Fourman Films for this: http://www.youtube.com/user/fourmanfilms

CCPR/C/TUR/CO/1
1 November 2012

(...)

10. The Committee is concerned about the discrimination and alleged acts of violence against people on the basis of their gender identity and sexual orientation, and about the social stigmatization and social exclusion of LGBT persons in terms of their access to health services, education, or to their treatment in the context of the regulations concerning compulsory military service and while serving in the military. (arts. 2 and 26)

Joint press release from War Resisters' International, IHD, International Fellowship of Reconciliation, Istanbul LGBTT, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and the Centre for Civil and Political Rights

Geneva 17-18 October 2012.

The series of jurisprudence by international bodies in relation to conscientious objection in Turkey continued in the last months. Following the recent judgements of the European Court of Human Rights in cases of conscientious objectors from Turkey - Demirtaş v. Turkey from 17 January 2012 and Erçep v. Turkey from 22 November 2011, the Human Rights Committee published its views on the case of Turkish conscientious objectors Cenk Atasoy and Arda Sarkut in June.

Views of the Human Rights Committee under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (104th session)

concerning Communications Nos. 1853/2008 and 1854/2008*

The Human Rights Committee, established under article 28 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

Meeting on 29 March 2012,

Report to the Human Rights Committee, 104th Session

London, December 2011

Summary

War Resisters'
International is concerned about grave violations of human rights of
conscientious objectors and antimilitarists in Turkey. The main
issues are:

Turkey maintains conscription,
and still does not recognise the right to conscientious objection. Conscientious objectors are
often sentenced repeatedly for refusing military service, on charges
of desertion, disobedience or insubordination, in violation of
article 18 and article 14 ICCPR (ne bis in idem). While in prison, conscientious
objectors often face abuse and maltreatment either from the side of
the prison authorities, or also from fellow prisoners. Even after their release from
prison, conscientious objectors often live in a legal limbo, a
situation the European Court of Human Rights called “civil death”
- being unable to marry, to legal register a child, to legally work,
get a passport, or engage in any way with the authorities. The same
applies to those who declared their conscientious objection, but
have never been arrested. Conscientious objectors and
pacifists often face trials on charges of “alienating the people
from the military” (article 318 Turkish Penal Code) for
criticising the military, or talking about conscientious objection,
in violation of article 19 ICCPR.

Views of the Human Rights Committee under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (one hundredth and first session)

Concerning

Communications No. 1642-1741/2007**

Submitted by: Min-Kyu Jeong et al (represented by counsel, André Carbonneau)

Alleged victim: The authors

State party: The Republic of Korea

Date of communication: 21 September and 6 November 2007 (initial submissions)

The Human Rights Committee, established under article 28 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

During its 99th session, the Human Rights Committee also considered the periodic report of Colombia. On the issue of conscientious objection, the Colombian delegation was requested to provide more particulars on conscientious objectors and what protections were in place for them until the law concerning this matter was adopted. The Committee referred to the ruling of the Constitutional Court, had handed down nine months ago, but there was still no written ruling.