Armenia: "Respect my Human Dignity": Imprisonment of Conscientious Objectors

Armenia: "Respect my Human Dignity": Imprisonment of Conscientious Objectors

Comments:
In October 1997 a young man named Yerem Nazaretyan was arrested in Armenia for refusing his call-up papers. In a written statement to officials he declared that after studying the Bible and considering himself a true Christian, his conscience did not allow him to serve in the army. 'Article 23 of the Constitution of the Armenian Republic guarantees each the right to freedom of conscience and religion', he wrote 'Respect my human dignity'. To no avail - the following month a court sentenced Yerem Nazaretyan to two years' imprisonment. Today young men continue to face imprisonment in Armenia because their conscience leads them into conflict with the law that makes military service compulsory for young males, and offers them no civilian alternative. With their religious beliefs precluding service in the military, some are imprisoned for refusing call-up papers. Others have been forcibly conscripted, and then prosecuted for refusing to don a military uniform, for declining to take the military oath, or for desertion. Some have reportedly sustained beatings after trying to explain their religious beliefs to conscription officials. Others are even said to have had family members detained illegally as hostages, to force an appearance at conscription offices. All have been imprisoned in violation of Armenia's domestic and international obligations to safeguard the right to freedom of conscience, and to grant its citizens the free exercise of this right. All are regarded by Amnesty International as prisoners of conscience, who should be released immediately and unconditionally. This paper updates the situation of conscientious objectors as described in two documents issued last year (Armenia: A summary of Amnesty International's concerns, AI Index: EUR 54/01/98, January 1998, and Armenia: Comments on the Initial Report submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, AI Index: EUR 54/05/98, September 1998).

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