Amnesty International Report 1999 - Slovakia
- Document source:
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Date:
1 January 1999
One conscientious objector to military service was imprisoned. He was a prisoner of conscience. There were reports that detainees were ill-treated by police officers.
In January the three parties supporting Prime Minister Vladimír Meciar's government prevented a parliamentary discussion about the reinstatement of two deputies who had been stripped of their mandate in violation of Constitutional Court rulings. In February and March, by abstaining in the parliamentary vote for a new president, the ruling coalition blocked presidential elections and prevented the organization of a referendum on whether the president should be elected by a popular vote. When President Michal Kovác's mandate expired in March, the government assumed some presidential powers. Parliamentary elections in September were won by a broad coalition of parties which were opposed to Prime Minister Meciar. In October Mikulas Dzurinda was appointed Prime Minister.
Slovakia signed in September the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
In March Prime Minister Meciar declared an amnesty in connection with the abduction of former President Kovác's son in 1995, in which agents of the Slovak Secret Service had allegedly been involved. However, in December the new Prime Minister revoked this amnesty.
In April Miroslav Albert, a conscientious objector to military service, was released from prison. He had been imprisoned in September 1997 for refusing to perform military service (see Amnesty International Report 1998). At least three other conscientious objectors who failed to apply for alternative service within 30 days of being declared fit for service, as required by the Law on Civilian Service, were prosecuted and faced possible imprisonment.
In March, in Bratislava, Viera O. was asked by two police officers to remove posters she was putting up about a peaceful demonstration organized by the Ecological Party. Although she explained that the demonstration had been approved by the authorities one officer reportedly grabbed the last poster from her hand. When she tried to take it back, the officers reportedly twisted her arms, pushed her face against a fence and held her in this position for approximately 20 minutes. They also reportedly used abusive language. She was then taken to Racianska street police station where she was questioned concerning her alleged assault on police officers. Viera O. was medically examined that same evening and issued with a certificate which described contusions and haematoma on her left arm and shoulder. An investigation conducted by the Ministry of the Interior established that Viera O. had insulted a police officer, a minor offence for which she had been fined. However, the report of the investigation made no reference to allegations of ill-treatment or to possible causes of Viera O.'s physical injuries.
Amnesty International appealed to the authorities to release Miroslav Albert and to bring the Law on Civilian Service into line with internationally recognized principles. The organization also urged the authorities to promptly and impartially investigate the reported ill-treatment of Viera O.
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