EBCO - European Bureau for Conscientious Objection

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Welcome to our news section. Here we will keep you updated on past developments concerning conscientious ojection in Europe.

2006------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Press release issued by The Conscientous Objection Platform in Istanbul on Saturday, December 9, 2006

To the press and public opinion,

Another person is behind bars for practicing a fundamental human right -the right to Conscientous Objection. Conscientous Objector Halil Savda was arrested in Corlu where he had gone to attend his trial. The court's justification for the arrest is the suspicion that Halil Savda, who willfully showed up at the courtroom without being obligated to do so, might escape.

But it should be known that the most important attribute that distinguishes an objector from a military deserter is that an objector does not attempt to run or hide. Conscientous objectors aspire to build a life outside the two options (military service or desertion) offered them. Their only source of support while going about this, is the feeling of confidence that stems from honestly embodying one's political stance. Although many international agreements signed by the Republic of Turkey guarantee "the right to conscientous objection" as a fundamental human right, the objectors residing in this part of the world are still faced with the threat of imprisonement and a punitive measure that practically amounts to a life sentence. Those objectors who are not presently imprisoned, are subject to what the European Court of Human Rights termed "civil death" in its ruling that convicted the Republic of Turkey on January 24, 2006 upon the application of conscientous objector Osman Murat ?lke. Halil Savda was arrested on December 16, 2004 and subsequently released on December 28, 2004 with his trial pending. On January 4, 2005 the 5th Army Corps Command Corlu Military Court sentenced Halil Savda to 3 months and 15 days of imprisonement on the charge of "insistent disobedience" in accordance with Article 87 of Military Criminal Code. The decision was appealed. On August 13, 2006 the 3rd Military Appeals Board annuled the local court's verdict and ruled in favor of re-trial. At the time of arrest, Halil Savda was at the court room in order to attend the first court session of this new trial. For he refused to quietly accept the verdict of "civil death." Since his release, Halil had been participating in numerous organizing efforts in the fields of conscientous objection and human rights and openly demonstrating his resistance against the official policy of ignorance\avoidance of the issue.Halil was at the courtroom of Corlu Military Court on December 7 2006 Thursday in order to show the perpetrators that he will not accept the torture of "civil death." We believe the right to conscientous objection is an inalienable and fundamental human right.

We are here to protest the violation of Halil's rights; to declare that we embrace his struggle and to express our solidarity with him. - Halil Savda must be released immediately and unconditionally. - The right to conscientous objection must be recognized now. - The repression and unjust treatment of all conscientous objectors must stop.

We declare that our actions will continue until Halil Savda is released and the repression of conscientous objectors stops; and that we are launching a long-term international campaign today.

Free Conscientous Objector Halil Savda!!!

Refuse, Resist, Say NO; Don't join the army!!!

THE CONSCIENTOUS OBJECTION PLATFORM

See also: German Press Release: http://www.connection-ev.de/Presse/pe_08-12-06.html

Halil Savda

GREECE
Appeal Military Court of Athens sentenced Greek Conscientious Objector
Giorgos Monastiriotis, 27, to 24 months’ imprisonment suspended for 3 years

Giorgos Monastiriotis, 27, who had joined the Greek Navy on a five-year contract, refused to follow his unit when the frigate "Navarino" on which he was serving was sent to the Persian Gulf in May 2003. He cited conscientious reasons and declared his resignation from the Navy (there is no right to resign under these five-year contracts). In his public refusal in May 2003, he stated that: "I refuse on grounds of conscience to participate in or contribute by any means to the relentless massacre of the Iraqi people... My refusal is also a minimal act of solidarity with the Iraqi people as well as to the peaceful sentiments of the Greek people."

In September 2004 Giorgos Monastiriotis was arrested and sentenced by the Naval Court of Piraeus to 40 months’ imprisonment for desertion because he didn’t follow his unit to the Persian Gulf. He was taken immediately to prison in Corinth, where he remained imprisoned for 22 days until his temporary release pending an appeal hearing. In January 2005 he was sentenced again by the Naval Court of Piraeus for a second desertion because he didn’t return to his unit after his release. He was convicted to five months’ suspended imprisonment. At his appeal hearing for the first desertion on 31 October 2006, the Appeal Military Court of Athens sentenced him to 24 months’ imprisonment suspended for 3 years.

Giorgos Monastiriotis’ convictions constitute a violation of his right to change his beliefs and develop a conscientious objection after joining the armed forces. In addition, the repeated convictions of Giorgos Monastiriotis for desertion violate Article 14, paragraph 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that: "No one shall be liable to be tried or punished again for an offence for which he has been finally convicted or acquitted in accordance with the law and penal procedure of each country." The prosecutions against Giorgos

Monastiriotis must stop and the legal framework must be amended so that the right to conscientious objection is recognized for professional soldiers.

From Alexia, Amnesty International in Athens

Turkey's Human Rights Association has said a 25 month prison sentence
passed by a military court against conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan is
"wrongful and unacceptable," calling for an end to repression of those
objecting to war.

BIA News Center
16/10/2006

BIA (Istanbul) - The Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch Conscientious Objection Commission has described as “wrongful and unacceptable” a recent military prison sentence passed for one of the country’s leading conscientious objectors.

Mehmet Tarhan was sentenced by the Sivas Military Tribunal to 25 months imprisonment in total on two counts of charges that were heard for the same offence on October 10.

“This verdict has once again violated human rights and freedoms” said the IHD Commissions Halil Savda, also a conscientious objector, noting that Tarhan had been accused twice for the same offence and that his final sentence was a combination of both verdicts.

According to Tarhan’s attorney Suna Coskun, he was sentenced for refusing to do his compulsory military service but the charges leveled against him were based on two consequent objections dated April 10, 2005 and June 10, 2006.

The Sivas military court sentenced Tarhan to 1 year imprisonment due to the first act which was later reduced to 10 months for mitigating circumstances and then sentenced him to an additional 18 months imprisonment for his second act which too was reduced to 15 months in total.

Coskun said they had appealed the verdict the very day it was passed and recalled that a separate case had been filed by them on behalf of Tarhan claiming human rights violations where prison personnel were on trial. That trial, she said, has been postponed to November 8, 2006 because of a change in the judge.

Reiterating IHD’s ongoing support for Tarhan, the association’s Savda read a statement issued by the Istanbul commission which said “this verdict is totally linked to a military mentality argument. It is beyond doubt that a decision taken by a military officer who has no clue of justice cannot be legal”.

The statement said Tarhan’s trial at a military tribunal despite him being civilian was itself a violation of the constitution and international conventions and called on the state “to end treating conscientious objectors as if they are soldiers disobeying orders”.

The Conscientious Objection Commission has a list of requests that include:

* Objection to compulsory armed service, to fight and be trained to kill or be killed should not be punished.

* Conscientious Objection should be accepted as a human right.

* The treatment of Conscientious Objectors as deserters and the vicious cycle between barracks and prison should come to an end with required legislation.
(EZO/EO/II/YE)

Other conscientous objector trials continue in courts:

Mehmet Bal's case is still ongoing in Adana 6. Army Corps and was postponed to March 8, 2007.

For Halil Savda's case which was overruled by Military Appeals court, there is a hearing on December 7, 2006.

There are still 5 ongoing trials about our friends because of conscientous objection.

Three new reports on our website

1. on Armenia (English)

2. on Nagorno Karabach (English)

3. for the Council of Europe (German)

EBCO meets on 14 October in Brussels for its next consultation. On the
agenda: Turkey, Cyprus, Serbia and Greece.

8 September 2006

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTED IN FAVOUR OF A CO LEGISLATION IN
TURKEY:

The European Parliament,

(..) recalls that the European Court of Human Rights advised Turkey to prepare a new legal framework for conscientious objectors and reminds Turkey that the right to conscientious objection is recognized in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights; therefore welcomes the initiative by the Ministry of Justice to legalise the right to conscientious objection and to propose the introduction of an alternative service in Turkey; is concerned that in a recent judgement of the Turkish military court a conscientious objector to military service was sentenced to imprisonment and that the military court openly declined to follow a relevant ruling of the European Court of Human Rights; condemns the on-going persecutions of journalists and writers who have expressed their support for the of conscientious objection to military service;

European Parliament report, adopted by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on 8 September 2006

CEMIL GOREN: NEW CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR IN TURKEY

(Istanbul) - Cemil Goren, a Turkish youth of Kurdish origin has issued a statement through the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) declaring himself as a conscientious objector and bringing up the number of Turkey's anti-war activists rejecting compulsory military service to 60. Goren, like the small number of other conscientious objectors in the country, is likely to be prosecuted for his decision and possibly jailed. He said in his statement on Monday that he was using his right for conscientious objection as a symbol of brotherhood between the Kurdish and Turkish people. His statement, that will possibly draw legal repercussion, is as follows:

"As a citizen of Turkey I wish to use my right of conscientious objection. I am against war, I do not want to kill humans. I do not want to receive or give orders. I do not want to be part to clashes that take place in our country.
"As a symbol of the brotherhood between the Kurdish and Turkish people, I wish to use my right to conscientious objection. Today I am in awareness that not every person is born as a soldier. As a Kurd of Turkey I am against the military system and wish for peace and freedom to come to this land. I am aware that this peace will be achieved with the alliance of the Kurdish and Turkish people.

"Due to these reasons, I do not want to serve the military and I state that I am a conscientious objector".

BIA News Center 04/07/2006 (EZO/AD/II/YE)

Turkish writer in court
by Wednesday 07 June 2006 1:27 PM GMT

A Turkish author and journalist has gone on trial charged with turning people against compulsory military service.

Perihan Magden defended a conscientious objector in her weekly magazine column.

In her article, published in Yeni Aktuel magazine in December, Magden defended Mehmet Tarhan, who had been sentenced to four years in a military prison for disobedience after refusing to wear his uniform.

Magden suggested that Turkey needed to set up a civilian service as an alternative to military conscription.

In court, Magden denied that she was trying to turn people against military service.

"I only argued that conscientious objection is a human right. It is my right and duty to defend conscientious objection," she said.

Magden could be jailed for three years if convicted of "alienating the people against military service".

The trial was adjourned until July 27

Turkish men over the age of 20 must serve in the military, and the country does not recognise the right to conscientious objection.

The military is popular in Turkey, and conscription has widespread support.

Magden, the author of Two Girls, and The Messenger Boy Murders, was jeered by onlookers as she entered the courthouse, the Anatolia news agency said.

Hansjorg Kretschmer, the EU ambassador to Turkey, said Magden's trial was "unacceptable," in a newspaper interview. "If you think there should be a right to conscientious objection in Turkey, why can't you say it? And why is this becoming a ground for prosecution?" he said.

'Unacceptable'

The EU has warned Ankara that prosecuting intellectuals for exercising their right to freedom of thought could damage the country's chances of membership.

"There are many issues [in Turkey] like this which are unacceptable from a European point of view," Kretschmer said.

Agencies
By

You can find this article at: http://english.aljazeera.net

GREECE

Two Jehova Wittnes trials on conscientious objection were taking place this morning at the Military Court of Appeal in Athens. Boris Sotiriadis was declared innocent and Georgios Koutsomanolakis was convicted to a suspended 10-month prison term for insubordination. (their cases in detail see below).

On May 15 Amnesty International issued a new report en titled: "Greece: High time to comply fully with European standards on conscientious objection"
(http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR250032006?open&of=ENG-GRC) and
the Greek Section organised a press conference in Athens to present it.

The speakers in the panel were: the director of the Greek Section of AI, the Secretary General of the Greek Workers' Trade Unions, the President of the Youth Councils Network, a representative of the National Commission for Human Rights, a Board member of the Hellenic League for Human Rights and the President of the Greek COs Association (Lazaros Petromelidis). (photo with Lazaros speaking and with the President of the Youth Councils Network showing the appeal of the greek youth to the government urging for a fair non-punitive and non-discriminatory alternative service according to the European and international standards and recommendations and for the end of the prosecutions against the COs in Greece.

The press confferecne received huge publicity even in more mainstream media.

best regards,
Alexia Tsouni
Amnesty International Athens

The cases in detail:
Georgios Koutsomanolakis, 46, had been initially charged with insubordination in 1979, at a time when there was no alternative civilian service in Greece, because as a Jehovah?s Witness he refused to serve military service on religious grounds. He fled Greece and was granted political asylum in Germany, where he has been living since then. Georgios Koutsomanolakis was arrested and detained on 12 May 2005 on the Greek island of Rhodes while visiting his parents, and on 16 May he was transferred to Korydallos prison, Athens. He remained imprisoned until his trial on 23 May 2005, when he was sentenced to a suspended 24-month prison term for insubordination by the Military Court of Athens. At his appeal hearing on 1 June 2006 Georgios Koutsomanolakis was sentenced to a suspended 10-month prison term for insubordination by the Military Court of Appeal in Athens.

Boris Sotiriadis, 38, is of Greek origin and had served his military service in the former Soviet Union, where he was living. Later he became a Jehovah?s Witness. Since he immigrated to Greece to remain in the country permanently, he was obliged to perform military service, according to the law on conscription. When the Greek army summoned him to report for military service at Avlona Military Camp on 1 August 2005, he presented himself but refused to serve in the army on the grounds that it conflicted
with his religious beliefs. He asked to serve alternative civilian service instead. However, as Greek law does not permit this for those who have already served in the armed forces, he was charged with disobedience. He was later sent to Didimoticho Military Camp where he also presented himself but refused to serve, citing religious conscientious objection, and again asked to serve alternative civilian service. He was refused once again and sent to the Military Court of Xanthi, on a second charge of disobedience. On 22 August 2005 he was sentenced to three and a half years? imprisonment without suspension. He remained imprisoned until 20 September 2005, when the Military Court of Appeal in Athens granted his release pending his appeal hearing. At his appeal hearing on 1 June 2006 Boris Sotiriadis was declared innocent by the Military Court of Appeal in Athens. However he is expecting the hearing on the first charge of disobedience by the Military Court of Athens which had been set for 24 May 2006 but was postponed.

TURKEY

A new case against anti-war reporter Ozbaris for "discouraging people from military service" for reports and interviews published by pro-Kurdish Gundem daily. Journalist faces 12 years jail for publishing statement by conscientious objector Halil Savda.

The journalist who pleaded to be excused from court on the three previous cases due to change of judges, gave a statement to Republic Prosecutor Nihat Erdem in relation to the fourth case that was launched after a complaint from the military.

Ozbaris had published a news report related to a statement by conscientious objector Halil Savda in an April 9 dated article titled "Do not go for military service" where she claimed that reaction to the killings in Southeast Turkey had also effected those who individually refused to serve in the army.

She quoted Savda calling on youth not to serve in the military and saying, "we must intervene in this painful, in this bloody situation and say stop. I have done this as an individual. Now I ask this from everyone; Listen to the sound of peace, extend your hand to it".

Savda was quoted saying, in Osbaris's report, "Let us say stop to this. Until the human resources of war are dried up, lasting peace cannot exist. We can start from ourselves".

"Serving Peace"

In her statement to the prosecution this week, the journalist said she had made a news report out of Savda's views that he had made public and prepared the report under the scope of freedom of expression.

She also argued that another investigation in relation to the same report was being conducted at the Beyoglu prosecutor's office.

Ozbaris faced 9 years imprisonment on three separate court cases relating to her May 15, 2005 series "Neither military service, nor war" and "If Turkey plays its role" article; her September 24, 2005 "Anti-war meeting" news report and her October 19, 2005 "Objectors have a message to EU" interview as well as "Conscientious objectors want compulsory military service debated in EU accession talks"..

With the new case against her she will be tried under Penal Code article 318 and faces 12 years imprisonment if found guilty of the charges.

Article 318 rules six months to two years imprisonment for those who encourage or suggest in a way that will discourage the people from military service and increasing the sentence by half if the offence is committed through the press. (EO/AD/II/YE)

Source: BIA News Center 12/05/2006 Erol ONDEROGLU

GREECE

After a 3-hour trial on 4 May 2006 Lazaros Petromelidis was declared guilty and convicted to 5 months suspended imprisonment (which he can buy off for 4,4 euros per day). He submitted application to cancel the decision to the Supreme Court of Greece and left the military court in Athens without being arrested pending the decision of the Supreme Court.

If the Supreme Court of Greece is not accepting Lazaros' arguments then the previous suspended 20-month imprisonment sentence is also activated so he will have a total 25-month imprisonment sentence. In this case he will go for the European Court. Besides, Lazaros will be 45 years old next year so this will stop the army calling him to military service again at last.

A team of European Left MEPs came at the trial together with Greek Left MEP Dimitris Papadimoulis: Vittorio Agnoletto (Italy) and Helmuth Markov (Germany). Also Nasos Aleuras, a Greek MP and member of the HR Committee of the CoE testified at the trial and also representatives of the National Committee for HR (Lilian Argyropoulou), Amnesty International (Spyros Apergis), Lawyers' Association of Athens (Dimitris Sarafianos), Greek League for HR (Dimitris Christopoulos), EBCO (Yiannis Glarnetatzis , Green Ecologists (Yiannis Paraskeuopoulos), City Council of Drapetsona - Lazaros'
municipality (Ksenia Fotiou) while Spanish MEP Raul Romeva I Rueda (Green group) and MEP Jo Leinen (SPE) send letter of support.

On the eve of the trial the Greek Section of Amnesty International published a press release announcing also the delivery of the signature campaign in support of Lazaros Petromelidis to the Greek Prime Minister.
(see attached .pdf / .rtf)

The trial received a lot of publicity in newspapers, internet and radio.

Alexia Tsouni, AI Athens

EBCO Campaign to support conscientious objection in Turkey

With a meeting at the Turkish Delegation to the European Union in Brussels on the occasion of the Annual General Meeting in February 2006 the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection started its campaign for the recognition of the right to conscientious objection according to the standards set out by the Council of Europe, United Nations, the European Parliament and other international bodies in this candidate
country for the European Union.

The EBCO Turkey Campaign will focus on European institutions - the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the European Commission - to protect human rights including Article 10 of the EU Charter for Fundamental Rights, which recognises the right of conscientious objection in all EU member states. This Charter has bee signed by the Turkish government in 2004.

The EBCO Turkey Campaign will build on local partnership including lawyers associations, human rights defenders and organisations of conscientious objection and seeks the dialogue with the Turkish authorities on this issue.EBCO is among the sponsors of a European Monitoring Conference in Istanbul later this year.

THE RIGHT TO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION
IN EUROPE:A Review of the Current Situation(.pdf- part 1)

The Right to Conscientious Objection in Europe:
A Review of the Current Situation (.pdf - part 2)

PRIDE IN REFUSING TO KILL
Mehmet Tarhan is free!

Mehmet Tarhan, gay Kurdish conscientious objector, was released from military prison on 9 March. The highest military court of appeal in Turkey (the Military Court of Cassation) ruled that he had been punished enough for his "crime". His crime was refusing to kill.

Mr Tarhan had been in prison since 9 April 2005: serving a sentence of four years. The Turkish army tried to break his resistance with abuse and torture, he was often put in solitary confinement and twice went on hunger strike to win equal treatment with other prisoners.

After the court's judgement, Mehmet Tarhan was taken to the recruitment office where he was ordered to present himself to his military unit. He refused to obey and instead went home to his family.

EBCO welcomes judgement of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in support of a Turkish CO

The Court accepted the complaint of the Turkish conscientious objector Osman Murat Ulke against Turkey stating that Turkey has violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights
("Prohibition of degrading treatment"). The ECHR awarded the conscientious objector 10.000 EUR for pecuniary damage. The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection in Brussels demands
that Turkey will stop further persecution and imprisonment of COs and recognise the right of conscientious objection and establish an alternative service as it is standard in most of the EU member states.

CHAMBER JUDGMENT ÜLKE v. TURKEY

[download .pdf]

Latest events

EBCO joined on 9th January a public action in the Centre of Brussels to demand the release of political prisoners for peace . For Mother Earth - a Belgium based NGO from Gent - has dressed the famous Belgian landmark "Manneken Pis" in a traditional prisoner costume, to draw attention to pacifists and conscientious objectoras in many countries of the world. The focus of this action was the situation in Finland, as the action takes place just a few days before the first round of the Finnish presidential elections. In Finland more than 50 pacisfists are imprisonned every year because of their rejection of an alternative service of punitive length.

The action addressed also the case of the Turkish conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan, serving acutally a prison term of four years because of hisrefusal to serve in the army, and the Greek conscientious objector Lazaros Petromelidis actually for neary a near under arrest warrant in Piraeus near Athens and the only EU citizen having been called to the army more than a dozen times during the last 10 years by the Greek army.

The Brussels action received European wide media attention with TV presence from Belgium, Czech Republic and United Kingdom.

Have a look at the Summer edition of our bulletin
"The Right to refuse to kill"

MEHMET TARHAN

Conscientious objector MEHMET TARHAN in Turkey has been sentenced in September 2005 to four years prison. Jailed since April, Mehmet Tarhan has been attacked and beaten by prisoners and guards. He has been in solitary confinement for refusing the prison's military discipline. He has been on hunger strike twice (28 and 34 days) demanding that his attackers be punished.

His address:

5. Piyade Egitim Tugayi, Askeri Cezaevi, Temeltepe - Sivas, Turkey.

Investigations have started at the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights/ Bureau du Commissaire aux droits de l'homme, Council of Europe / Conseil de l'Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, office phone: +33 3 88 41 23 34

In Russia the prominent local organisation NIZHNII NOVGOROD SOCIETY FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS supporting conscientious objectors since 1989 has been ordered to halt activities by local authorities last week. The organisation had been registered in 1993 and organised local alternative service in a local hospital for eights years, before a national law has been adopted. An EBCO delegation from Bulgaria visited EBCO board member Victor Gurski in December 2005.

More: www.yspdb.org

The EBCO meeting in Brussels on 11 February 2006 discussed the situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey, Greece, Russia and Finland, a European Parliament Draft Resolution "On the right of soldiers and draftees to refuse to participate in war and warfare activities contrary to international law, and in particular the right for US soldiers to obtain refugee-status or asylum in case of desertion", EBCO's role at the European Youth Forum, EBCO's seminars at the European Youth Centre.

BRIAN STAPLETON 1922 - 2005

Brian Stapleton, a co-founder of EBCO,, was an inspired choice as QCEA's first Representative in 1979. Brian brought to QCEA wide experience in Europe and Africa and a vision of a Europe much wider than that of the then nine Member States of the European Economic Community. It was this vision which led Brian to contacts with Friends in Eastern Europe, to discussions with NATO staff and, most importantly for the ongoing work of QCEA to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where he immediately applied for NGO consultative status and where he was met by cries of "And WHERE have you Quakers been?"

Europe has changed and QCEA has grown since Brian and Pat left Brussels in 1983, but the structure he established is still very much in place. His work in Adult Education and Training led him to the concepts of Study Tours and to Programme Assistants being given opportunities for postgraduate service and training. As a Conscientious Objector during WW2 he realised the continuing importance of this concern in continental
Europe where conscription was then still very much the norm and he worked closely with the Council of Europe on this. Conscientious objection and the Peace Tax was also of concern to Brian, and QCEA published a report on this, prepared by Fiona MacKenzie.

The first Quaker House in Brussels has been established in Avenue de la Brabançonne before it moved to Square Ambiorix the open welcoming Quaker space which it still is today. A Memorial Meeting was held in Quaker House on Saturday 21st January 2006 at 3.00 p.m.

2005------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greece: International Conscientious Objectors’ Day was marked by prosecuting four conscientious objectors

“Greece continues to convict people for exercising their freedom of thought, conscience and religion”, Amnesty International said today as conscientious objector Nikos Baltoukas was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment and in previous days Jehovah’s Witnesses Andreas Anastasiou and Makedonas Alexandridis were sentenced to six months' imprisonment for refusing to perform their military service on religious grounds. Conscientious objector and Jehovah’s Witness Georgios Koutsomanolakis remains imprisoned awaiting his trial on 23 May.

"The right to refuse to perform military service is a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and it’s high time Greece respected it,” Amnesty International stated.

Nikos Baltoukas, 37, had served his military service in the Greek army in 1990-91 but when he was called up for reservist military service on 31 October 2004 he refused to report for reasons of conscience. He was thus charged with insubordination and was sent to trial today in the Military Court of Xanthi, where he was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment. Andreas Anastasiou had also served his military service in the Greek army, but later became a Jehovah’s Witness, so when he was called up for reservist military service he refused to report for reasons of conscience. Anastasiou was sentenced yesterday, 17 May, to six months' imprisonment for insubordination and disobedience by the Military Court of Larissa. Amnesty International notes that recently, on 7 April, the Military Appeal Court in Athens acquitted conscientious objector Dionisis Avlastimidis, who had also been charged with insubordination for not serving his reservist military service. Amnesty International urges that all conscientious objectors, including Nikos Baltoukas and Andreas Anastasiou, be treated in the same way, without discrimination.

Makedonas Alexandridis had served his military service in the Russian army. Later, he became a Jehovah's Witness, so when the Greek army called him to report for military service he asked to serve alternative civilian service instead. However, this is not allowed under Greek law 2510/97 for those who have already served in the armed forces. Makedonas Alexandridis was sentenced on 10 May to six months' imprisonment for disobedience by the Military Court of Ioannina. Amnesty International notes that again recently, on 1 April, the Military Court of Athens acquitted religious conscientious objector Sergey Gutarov, who had also been charged with insubordination for exactly the same reason, and calls for all conscientious objectors, including Alexandridis, to be treated in the same way, without discrimination.

Georgios Koutsomanolakis, 45, was charged with insubordination in 1979, at a time when there was no alternative civilian service in Greece, because as a Jehovah’s Witness he refused to serve military service for reasons of conscience. He was arrested on 12 May 2005 on the island of Rhodes and on 16 May he was transferred to Korydallos prison, Athens, where he remains imprisoned until his trial on 23 May by the Military Court of Athens. Amnesty International has adopted him as a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

On 15 May, International Conscientious Objectors’ Day, Amnesty International published a new report entitled: “Greece: Punished for their beliefs: how conscientious objectors continue to be deprived of their rights” (AI Index: EUR 25/007/2005), in which the organization expresses its grave concerns about the continuing prosecutions against conscientious objectors in Greece and the fact that Greek legislation on conscription and conscientious objection, particularly Law 2510/97, continues to fall below international standards.

The organization accordingly calls for amendments to Greece’s legal framework to ensure that alternative civilian service is not of discriminatory and punitive length, that it falls under entirely civilian authority (including in the examinations of applications for conscientious objectors), that conscientious objectors have the right to claim conscientious objector status at any time, both up to and after entering the armed forces, and that the right to perform alternative civilian service can never be derogated from, including in time of war. Moreover, Amnesty International also urges an amendment to current provisions which stipulate that conscientious objectors who carry out trade unionist activities or participate in a strike during their alternative service would have their right to alternative civilian service or unarmed military service revoked. The organization also calls on the Greek authorities to ensure that conscientious objectors recover their full civil and personal rights, including that of travel outside the country, the right to a passport and identity card, and the right to vote.

“We urge the Greek authorities to comply with European and international standards and recommendations and put an end to all prosecutions, imprisonments and violations of the human rights of conscientious objectors”,

Amnesty International said today. (May 18, 2005)

EBCO demands amnesty law for Serbian conscripts in exile

On the occasion of the NATO visit of Minister of Defence Prvoslav Davinic on May 4, 2005 the European Bureau for Conscientious Objectors tables the problems of Serb conscripts in exile.

By Igor Seke

More than 50.000 conscripts from Serbia and Montenegro who have not responded to calls up in the 90s live today outside their country according to estimations of the Serbian Ministry of Diaspora in Belgrade.

The General Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia recalls 2-3000 arrest warrants pending for desertion during war time.. The Minister of Defense has undertaken an initiative to allow a return to Serbia without further legal persecution. For a long period of time it was not possible to refuse military service on conscientious grounds in Serbia and Montenegro. That has changed meanwhile and the right to conscientious objection to military service is now legally recognised in all former Yugoslavian republics.

Serbian conscientious objectors who left their country were fearing oppression and experiencing threats and intimidation Doing this they offended the law, and now fear repression and punishment from the government and military authorities when re-entering into their home country.

It will be in the interest of them, and also of the country as a whole, to give them a possibility to return to Serbia with a guarantee that they will not be under legal threat. Promises in this direction do not work when they are violated against in individual cases. We are informed that this has been the case in recent times.

EBCO has therefore requested from the Serbian government on the occasion of the NATO visit on Wednesday of the Minister of Defense of Serbia-Montenegro Prvoslav Davinic to adopt an amnesty law, similar to those accepted by the Yugoslav Parliament that followed Dayton and Kumanovo peace agreements. Only then young Serbians still in exile could be encouraged to return home.

EBCO has been an active partner of the Serbian and Montenegro government creating conscientious objection and civilian service legislation. “Likewise, we are willing to provide all necessary support to solve the problem of the Serbian conscripts in exile”, EBCO President Gerd Greune stated in Brussels. (Brussels, 6 May 2005)

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EBCO celebrates 25th anniversary in European Parliament

April 7&8, 2005 with a reception hosted by MEP Jo Leinen and a colloque discussing "conscientious objection and the european constitution"with Friedhelm Schneider from EAK/Germany as keynote speaker members of EBCO celebrated the 25th anniversary of EBCO. Former EBCO presidents Jean van Lierde, Sam Biesemans, Jordi Tolrá, Hans Dijkman addressed the reception.

Greek EBCO board member Yannis Glarnetatzis and the Amnesty International speaker Alexia Tsounia met MEP Raul Romeva from the Green group on April 6 to describe the civil rights violations taking place in Greece.

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EBCO publishes appeal "We want a European Constitution for Peace and Disarmament"

May 2004: Together with its partner organization IFIAS, EBCO has initiated an appeal calling for a change in the draft European constitution. In section I, article 40.3 it reads: "Member States shall undertake progressively to improve their military capabilities.“
We are collecting signatures to change this absurdity to: "Member States shall undertake progressively to reduce military capabilities worldwide.“
Please support this action by signing and spreading the appeal. It can be viewed and downloaded here as a pdf-file.

Annual General Meeting in Brussels - new board elected

On March 20, EBCO's annual council of members meeting took place at the premises of the International Secretariat in Brussels. The work of the past year was evaluated and focus points of the future work discussed.

The assembly said thank you to Hans Dijkman and Claude Verrel, who resigned from their positions as president and treasurer after completing their three-year-term. The AGM elected Gerd Greune as the new president of EBCO. In addition to that, Jean-Louis Vanderheyden was elected treasurer, Hans Dijkman Secretary General.

It was also voted on the composition of the rest of the board: Both known and new faces will complement EBCO's executive body.

New edition of EBCO's newsletter "The Right to Refuse to Kill" released

Just in time for this year's general assembly, the latest issue of the 'RRK' has been published. You can find it here as a pdf-file.

An important step for conscientious objectors in Greece - Statement of the International Delegation, Thessalonica, February 19 2004

The Naval Court Martial of Thessaloniki decided today in the case of conscientious objector Lazaros Petromelidis not to be competent for trying a conscientious objector once he has been transferred to alternative service. For the first time in Greek CO history the legal dispute has been accepted that conscientious objector cases are civil cases without further court martial involvement.
The legal measures against Lazaros Petromelidis have been lifted. The deposit paid to secure bail will be paid back, and no longer does he have to report to his local police station every second week.

The international delegation welcomes that from now on conscientious objectors won’t be tried by court martial and will be under civilian jurisdiction for matters related to alternative service. The delegation hopes that this decision will finally, after 18 years, lead to an end of the persecution of conscientious objectors, such as repeated call-up, reporting to the police, withholding of passports, etc.

However, Greece still has to solve several problems in relation to the right to conscientious objection. The Greek law on conscientious objection from 1997 needs to be amended to meet European standards, as demanded by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. In particular, the punishment of conscientious objectors through punitive alternative service conditions – in terms of length, service far away from home, and payment of salaries which does not even cover basic costs of living – has to come to an end.

The international delegation expressed its commitment to continue to support conscientious objectors in Greece.

Gerd Greune Claude Verrel Andreas Speck

European Bureau for Conscientious Objection War Resisters’ International

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EBCO and WRI release joint statement on the situation in Greece Brussels/London, February 16 2004

On the occasion of Lazaros Petromelidis' trial in Thessalonica, War Resisters' International and the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection have published a declaration on the situation in Greece. In the appeal, they demand proper legislation in accordance with international standards and an end of discrimination against objectors. Here you can find the document in various versions:

English original
Greek translation
German translation English original (.pdf)
Greek translation (.pdf)
German translation (.pdf)

Refuznik visits Brussels, February 16 2004

On February 16, Israeli objector Ilan Moradi visited Brussels. On that occasion, EBCO arranged a meeting with Member of the Euro-pean Parliament Jo Leinen (Socialists) from Germany.

27-year-old Ilan Moradi, who is studying now in Paris, refused to serve in the occupied territories during his time of military service. He was in military jail for several months before he was excluded from the army- officially on the grounds of mental confusion.
In a joint letter EBCO and the Mouvement Chrétien pour la Paix (MCP) asked Jo Leinen to initiate a EP Delegation visit to the imprisoned COs in Israel, to demand the release of the COs from prison and to request from the Israeli MPs the establishing of an alternative service in Israel.

EBCO publishes its youth activity report for 2004

Click here (.pdf-file) to get a detailes report on which activities EBCO conducted in 2003 besides its statuary meetings.

EBCO Yahoo-Groups reorganized

EBCO's Yahoo-Group system has been reorganized in order to improve the dissemination and exchange of information and to make communication easier within the network. Now there are two news-groups, EBCO Info and EBCO Board. The first one is intended as service for EBCO's member organizations, friends and other interested people to keep them updated on the topic of conscientious objection. The second one serves as a platform for the board's internal communication and therefore consists of the board members and some other people that are active in EBCO.

If you are interested in signing up or if you have any trouble, questions or suggestions concerning those groups, write to ebco@ebco-beoc.org. If you prefer to sign up yourself, go to Yahoo Groups and search for EBCO in order to view both groups.

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Welcome to our news section. Here we will keep you updated on past developments concerning conscientious ojection in Europe.

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Press release issued by The Conscientous Objection Platform in Istanbul on Saturday, December 9, 2006 To the press and public opinion, Another person is behind bars for practicing a fundamental human right -the right to Conscientous Objection. Conscientous Objector Halil Savda was arrested in Corlu where he had gone to attend his trial. The court's justification for the arrest is the suspicion that Halil Savda, who willfully showed up at the courtroom without being obligated to do so, might escape. But it should be known that the most important attribute that distinguishes an objector from a military deserter is that an objector does not attempt to run or hide. Conscientous objectors aspire to build a life outside the two options (military service or desertion) offered them. Their only source of support while going about this, is the feeling of confidence that stems from honestly embodying one's political stance. Although many international agreements signed by the Republic of Turkey guarantee "the right to conscientous objection" as a fundamental human right, the objectors residing in this part of the world are still faced with the threat of imprisonement and a punitive measure that practically amounts to a life sentence. Those objectors who are not presently imprisoned, are subject to what the European Court of Human Rights termed "civil death" in its ruling that convicted the Republic of Turkey on January 24, 2006 upon the application of conscientous objector Osman Murat ?lke. Halil Savda was arrested on December 16, 2004 and subsequently released on December 28, 2004 with his trial pending. On January 4, 2005 the 5th Army Corps Command Corlu Military Court sentenced Halil Savda to 3 months and 15 days of imprisonement on the charge of "insistent disobedience" in accordance with Article 87 of Military Criminal Code. The decision was appealed. On August 13, 2006 the 3rd Military Appeals Board annuled the local court's verdict and ruled in favor of re-trial. At the time of arrest, Halil Savda was at the court room in order to attend the first court session of this new trial. For he refused to quietly accept the verdict of "civil death." Since his release, Halil had been participating in numerous organizing efforts in the fields of conscientous objection and human rights and openly demonstrating his resistance against the official policy of ignorance\avoidance of the issue.Halil was at the courtroom of Corlu Military Court on December 7 2006 Thursday in order to show the perpetrators that he will not accept the torture of "civil death." We believe the right to conscientous objection is an inalienable and fundamental human right. We are here to protest the violation of Halil's rights; to declare that we embrace his struggle and to express our solidarity with him. - Halil Savda must be released immediately and unconditionally. - The right to conscientous objection must be recognized now. - The repression and unjust treatment of all conscientous objectors must stop. We declare that our actions will continue until Halil Savda is released and the repression of conscientous objectors stops; and that we are launching a long-term international campaign today. Free Conscientous Objector Halil Savda!!! Refuse, Resist, Say NO; Don't join the army!!! THE CONSCIENTOUS OBJECTION PLATFORM See also: German Press Release: http://www.connection-ev.de/Presse/pe_08-12-06.html		Halil Savda

GREECE Appeal Military Court of Athens sentenced Greek Conscientious Objector Giorgos Monastiriotis, 27, to 24 months’ imprisonment suspended for 3 years Giorgos Monastiriotis, 27, who had joined the Greek Navy on a five-year contract, refused to follow his unit when the frigate "Navarino" on which he was serving was sent to the Persian Gulf in May 2003. He cited conscientious reasons and declared his resignation from the Navy (there is no right to resign under these five-year contracts). In his public refusal in May 2003, he stated that: "I refuse on grounds of conscience to participate in or contribute by any means to the relentless massacre of the Iraqi people... My refusal is also a minimal act of solidarity with the Iraqi people as well as to the peaceful sentiments of the Greek people." In September 2004 Giorgos Monastiriotis was arrested and sentenced by the Naval Court of Piraeus to 40 months’ imprisonment for desertion because he didn’t follow his unit to the Persian Gulf. He was taken immediately to prison in Corinth, where he remained imprisoned for 22 days until his temporary release pending an appeal hearing. In January 2005 he was sentenced again by the Naval Court of Piraeus for a second desertion because he didn’t return to his unit after his release. He was convicted to five months’ suspended imprisonment. At his appeal hearing for the first desertion on 31 October 2006, the Appeal Military Court of Athens sentenced him to 24 months’ imprisonment suspended for 3 years. Giorgos Monastiriotis’ convictions constitute a violation of his right to change his beliefs and develop a conscientious objection after joining the armed forces. In addition, the repeated convictions of Giorgos Monastiriotis for desertion violate Article 14, paragraph 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that: "No one shall be liable to be tried or punished again for an offence for which he has been finally convicted or acquitted in accordance with the law and penal procedure of each country." The prosecutions against Giorgos Monastiriotis must stop and the legal framework must be amended so that the right to conscientious objection is recognized for professional soldiers. From Alexia, Amnesty International in Athens

Turkey's Human Rights Association has said a 25 month prison sentence passed by a military court against conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan is "wrongful and unacceptable," calling for an end to repression of those objecting to war. BIA News Center 16/10/2006 BIA (Istanbul) - The Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch Conscientious Objection Commission has described as “wrongful and unacceptable” a recent military prison sentence passed for one of the country’s leading conscientious objectors. Mehmet Tarhan was sentenced by the Sivas Military Tribunal to 25 months imprisonment in total on two counts of charges that were heard for the same offence on October 10. “This verdict has once again violated human rights and freedoms” said the IHD Commissions Halil Savda, also a conscientious objector, noting that Tarhan had been accused twice for the same offence and that his final sentence was a combination of both verdicts. According to Tarhan’s attorney Suna Coskun, he was sentenced for refusing to do his compulsory military service but the charges leveled against him were based on two consequent objections dated April 10, 2005 and June 10, 2006. The Sivas military court sentenced Tarhan to 1 year imprisonment due to the first act which was later reduced to 10 months for mitigating circumstances and then sentenced him to an additional 18 months imprisonment for his second act which too was reduced to 15 months in total. Coskun said they had appealed the verdict the very day it was passed and recalled that a separate case had been filed by them on behalf of Tarhan claiming human rights violations where prison personnel were on trial. That trial, she said, has been postponed to November 8, 2006 because of a change in the judge. Reiterating IHD’s ongoing support for Tarhan, the association’s Savda read a statement issued by the Istanbul commission which said “this verdict is totally linked to a military mentality argument. It is beyond doubt that a decision taken by a military officer who has no clue of justice cannot be legal”. The statement said Tarhan’s trial at a military tribunal despite him being civilian was itself a violation of the constitution and international conventions and called on the state “to end treating conscientious objectors as if they are soldiers disobeying orders”. The Conscientious Objection Commission has a list of requests that include: * Objection to compulsory armed service, to fight and be trained to kill or be killed should not be punished. * Conscientious Objection should be accepted as a human right. * The treatment of Conscientious Objectors as deserters and the vicious cycle between barracks and prison should come to an end with required legislation. (EZO/EO/II/YE) Other conscientous objector trials continue in courts: Mehmet Bal's case is still ongoing in Adana 6. Army Corps and was postponed to March 8, 2007. For Halil Savda's case which was overruled by Military Appeals court, there is a hearing on December 7, 2006. There are still 5 ongoing trials about our friends because of conscientous objection.

Three new reports on our website 1. on Armenia (English) 2. on Nagorno Karabach (English) 3. for the Council of Europe (German) EBCO meets on 14 October in Brussels for its next consultation. On the agenda: Turkey, Cyprus, Serbia and Greece. 8 September 2006 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTED IN FAVOUR OF A CO LEGISLATION IN TURKEY: The European Parliament, (..) recalls that the European Court of Human Rights advised Turkey to prepare a new legal framework for conscientious objectors and reminds Turkey that the right to conscientious objection is recognized in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights; therefore welcomes the initiative by the Ministry of Justice to legalise the right to conscientious objection and to propose the introduction of an alternative service in Turkey; is concerned that in a recent judgement of the Turkish military court a conscientious objector to military service was sentenced to imprisonment and that the military court openly declined to follow a relevant ruling of the European Court of Human Rights; condemns the on-going persecutions of journalists and writers who have expressed their support for the of conscientious objection to military service; European Parliament report, adopted by the Committee on Foreign Affairs on 8 September 2006 CEMIL GOREN: NEW CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR IN TURKEY (Istanbul) - Cemil Goren, a Turkish youth of Kurdish origin has issued a statement through the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) declaring himself as a conscientious objector and bringing up the number of Turkey's anti-war activists rejecting compulsory military service to 60. Goren, like the small number of other conscientious objectors in the country, is likely to be prosecuted for his decision and possibly jailed. He said in his statement on Monday that he was using his right for conscientious objection as a symbol of brotherhood between the Kurdish and Turkish people. His statement, that will possibly draw legal repercussion, is as follows: "As a citizen of Turkey I wish to use my right of conscientious objection. I am against war, I do not want to kill humans. I do not want to receive or give orders. I do not want to be part to clashes that take place in our country. "As a symbol of the brotherhood between the Kurdish and Turkish people, I wish to use my right to conscientious objection. Today I am in awareness that not every person is born as a soldier. As a Kurd of Turkey I am against the military system and wish for peace and freedom to come to this land. I am aware that this peace will be achieved with the alliance of the Kurdish and Turkish people. "Due to these reasons, I do not want to serve the military and I state that I am a conscientious objector". BIA News Center 04/07/2006 (EZO/AD/II/YE)

Turkish writer in court by Wednesday 07 June 2006 1:27 PM GMT A Turkish author and journalist has gone on trial charged with turning people against compulsory military service. Perihan Magden defended a conscientious objector in her weekly magazine column. In her article, published in Yeni Aktuel magazine in December, Magden defended Mehmet Tarhan, who had been sentenced to four years in a military prison for disobedience after refusing to wear his uniform. Magden suggested that Turkey needed to set up a civilian service as an alternative to military conscription. In court, Magden denied that she was trying to turn people against military service. "I only argued that conscientious objection is a human right. It is my right and duty to defend conscientious objection," she said. Magden could be jailed for three years if convicted of "alienating the people against military service". The trial was adjourned until July 27 Turkish men over the age of 20 must serve in the military, and the country does not recognise the right to conscientious objection. The military is popular in Turkey, and conscription has widespread support. Magden, the author of Two Girls, and The Messenger Boy Murders, was jeered by onlookers as she entered the courthouse, the Anatolia news agency said. Hansjorg Kretschmer, the EU ambassador to Turkey, said Magden's trial was "unacceptable," in a newspaper interview. "If you think there should be a right to conscientious objection in Turkey, why can't you say it? And why is this becoming a ground for prosecution?" he said. 'Unacceptable' The EU has warned Ankara that prosecuting intellectuals for exercising their right to freedom of thought could damage the country's chances of membership. "There are many issues [in Turkey] like this which are unacceptable from a European point of view," Kretschmer said. Agencies By You can find this article at: http://english.aljazeera.net

TURKEY A new case against anti-war reporter Ozbaris for "discouraging people from military service" for reports and interviews published by pro-Kurdish Gundem daily. Journalist faces 12 years jail for publishing statement by conscientious objector Halil Savda. The journalist who pleaded to be excused from court on the three previous cases due to change of judges, gave a statement to Republic Prosecutor Nihat Erdem in relation to the fourth case that was launched after a complaint from the military. Ozbaris had published a news report related to a statement by conscientious objector Halil Savda in an April 9 dated article titled "Do not go for military service" where she claimed that reaction to the killings in Southeast Turkey had also effected those who individually refused to serve in the army. She quoted Savda calling on youth not to serve in the military and saying, "we must intervene in this painful, in this bloody situation and say stop. I have done this as an individual. Now I ask this from everyone; Listen to the sound of peace, extend your hand to it". Savda was quoted saying, in Osbaris's report, "Let us say stop to this. Until the human resources of war are dried up, lasting peace cannot exist. We can start from ourselves". "Serving Peace" In her statement to the prosecution this week, the journalist said she had made a news report out of Savda's views that he had made public and prepared the report under the scope of freedom of expression. She also argued that another investigation in relation to the same report was being conducted at the Beyoglu prosecutor's office. Ozbaris faced 9 years imprisonment on three separate court cases relating to her May 15, 2005 series "Neither military service, nor war" and "If Turkey plays its role" article; her September 24, 2005 "Anti-war meeting" news report and her October 19, 2005 "Objectors have a message to EU" interview as well as "Conscientious objectors want compulsory military service debated in EU accession talks".. With the new case against her she will be tried under Penal Code article 318 and faces 12 years imprisonment if found guilty of the charges. Article 318 rules six months to two years imprisonment for those who encourage or suggest in a way that will discourage the people from military service and increasing the sentence by half if the offence is committed through the press. (EO/AD/II/YE) Source: BIA News Center 12/05/2006 Erol ONDEROGLU

GREECE After a 3-hour trial on 4 May 2006 Lazaros Petromelidis was declared guilty and convicted to 5 months suspended imprisonment (which he can buy off for 4,4 euros per day). He submitted application to cancel the decision to the Supreme Court of Greece and left the military court in Athens without being arrested pending the decision of the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court of Greece is not accepting Lazaros' arguments then the previous suspended 20-month imprisonment sentence is also activated so he will have a total 25-month imprisonment sentence. In this case he will go for the European Court. Besides, Lazaros will be 45 years old next year so this will stop the army calling him to military service again at last. A team of European Left MEPs came at the trial together with Greek Left MEP Dimitris Papadimoulis: Vittorio Agnoletto (Italy) and Helmuth Markov (Germany). Also Nasos Aleuras, a Greek MP and member of the HR Committee of the CoE testified at the trial and also representatives of the National Committee for HR (Lilian Argyropoulou), Amnesty International (Spyros Apergis), Lawyers' Association of Athens (Dimitris Sarafianos), Greek League for HR (Dimitris Christopoulos), EBCO (Yiannis Glarnetatzis , Green Ecologists (Yiannis Paraskeuopoulos), City Council of Drapetsona - Lazaros' municipality (Ksenia Fotiou) while Spanish MEP Raul Romeva I Rueda (Green group) and MEP Jo Leinen (SPE) send letter of support. On the eve of the trial the Greek Section of Amnesty International published a press release announcing also the delivery of the signature campaign in support of Lazaros Petromelidis to the Greek Prime Minister. (see attached .pdf / .rtf) The trial received a lot of publicity in newspapers, internet and radio. Alexia Tsouni, AI Athens

EBCO Campaign to support conscientious objection in Turkey With a meeting at the Turkish Delegation to the European Union in Brussels on the occasion of the Annual General Meeting in February 2006 the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection started its campaign for the recognition of the right to conscientious objection according to the standards set out by the Council of Europe, United Nations, the European Parliament and other international bodies in this candidate country for the European Union. The EBCO Turkey Campaign will focus on European institutions - the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the European Commission - to protect human rights including Article 10 of the EU Charter for Fundamental Rights, which recognises the right of conscientious objection in all EU member states. This Charter has bee signed by the Turkish government in 2004. The EBCO Turkey Campaign will build on local partnership including lawyers associations, human rights defenders and organisations of conscientious objection and seeks the dialogue with the Turkish authorities on this issue.EBCO is among the sponsors of a European Monitoring Conference in Istanbul later this year. THE RIGHT TO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION IN EUROPE:A Review of the Current Situation(.pdf- part 1) The Right to Conscientious Objection in Europe: A Review of the Current Situation (.pdf - part 2)

PRIDE IN REFUSING TO KILL Mehmet Tarhan is free! Mehmet Tarhan, gay Kurdish conscientious objector, was released from military prison on 9 March. The highest military court of appeal in Turkey (the Military Court of Cassation) ruled that he had been punished enough for his "crime". His crime was refusing to kill. Mr Tarhan had been in prison since 9 April 2005: serving a sentence of four years. The Turkish army tried to break his resistance with abuse and torture, he was often put in solitary confinement and twice went on hunger strike to win equal treatment with other prisoners. After the court's judgement, Mehmet Tarhan was taken to the recruitment office where he was ordered to present himself to his military unit. He refused to obey and instead went home to his family.

EBCO welcomes judgement of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in support of a Turkish CO The Court accepted the complaint of the Turkish conscientious objector Osman Murat Ulke against Turkey stating that Turkey has violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights ("Prohibition of degrading treatment"). The ECHR awarded the conscientious objector 10.000 EUR for pecuniary damage. The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection in Brussels demands that Turkey will stop further persecution and imprisonment of COs and recognise the right of conscientious objection and establish an alternative service as it is standard in most of the EU member states. CHAMBER JUDGMENT ÜLKE v. TURKEY [download .pdf]

Latest events EBCO joined on 9th January a public action in the Centre of Brussels to demand the release of political prisoners for peace . For Mother Earth - a Belgium based NGO from Gent - has dressed the famous Belgian landmark "Manneken Pis" in a traditional prisoner costume, to draw attention to pacifists and conscientious objectoras in many countries of the world. The focus of this action was the situation in Finland, as the action takes place just a few days before the first round of the Finnish presidential elections. In Finland more than 50 pacisfists are imprisonned every year because of their rejection of an alternative service of punitive length. The action addressed also the case of the Turkish conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan, serving acutally a prison term of four years because of hisrefusal to serve in the army, and the Greek conscientious objector Lazaros Petromelidis actually for neary a near under arrest warrant in Piraeus near Athens and the only EU citizen having been called to the army more than a dozen times during the last 10 years by the Greek army. The Brussels action received European wide media attention with TV presence from Belgium, Czech Republic and United Kingdom. Have a look at the Summer edition of our bulletin "The Right to refuse to kill"

MEHMET TARHAN Conscientious objector MEHMET TARHAN in Turkey has been sentenced in September 2005 to four years prison. Jailed since April, Mehmet Tarhan has been attacked and beaten by prisoners and guards. He has been in solitary confinement for refusing the prison's military discipline. He has been on hunger strike twice (28 and 34 days) demanding that his attackers be punished. His address: 5. Piyade Egitim Tugayi, Askeri Cezaevi, Temeltepe - Sivas, Turkey. Investigations have started at the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights/ Bureau du Commissaire aux droits de l'homme, Council of Europe / Conseil de l'Europe, F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, office phone: +33 3 88 41 23 34 In Russia the prominent local organisation NIZHNII NOVGOROD SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS supporting conscientious objectors since 1989 has been ordered to halt activities by local authorities last week. The organisation had been registered in 1993 and organised local alternative service in a local hospital for eights years, before a national law has been adopted. An EBCO delegation from Bulgaria visited EBCO board member Victor Gurski in December 2005. More: www.yspdb.org The EBCO meeting in Brussels on 11 February 2006 discussed the situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey, Greece, Russia and Finland, a European Parliament Draft Resolution "On the right of soldiers and draftees to refuse to participate in war and warfare activities contrary to international law, and in particular the right for US soldiers to obtain refugee-status or asylum in case of desertion", EBCO's role at the European Youth Forum, EBCO's seminars at the European Youth Centre. BRIAN STAPLETON 1922 - 2005 Brian Stapleton, a co-founder of EBCO,, was an inspired choice as QCEA's first Representative in 1979. Brian brought to QCEA wide experience in Europe and Africa and a vision of a Europe much wider than that of the then nine Member States of the European Economic Community. It was this vision which led Brian to contacts with Friends in Eastern Europe, to discussions with NATO staff and, most importantly for the ongoing work of QCEA to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where he immediately applied for NGO consultative status and where he was met by cries of "And WHERE have you Quakers been?" Europe has changed and QCEA has grown since Brian and Pat left Brussels in 1983, but the structure he established is still very much in place. His work in Adult Education and Training led him to the concepts of Study Tours and to Programme Assistants being given opportunities for postgraduate service and training. As a Conscientious Objector during WW2 he realised the continuing importance of this concern in continental Europe where conscription was then still very much the norm and he worked closely with the Council of Europe on this. Conscientious objection and the Peace Tax was also of concern to Brian, and QCEA published a report on this, prepared by Fiona MacKenzie. The first Quaker House in Brussels has been established in Avenue de la Brabançonne before it moved to Square Ambiorix the open welcoming Quaker space which it still is today. A Memorial Meeting was held in Quaker House on Saturday 21st January 2006 at 3.00 p.m.

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Greece: International Conscientious Objectors’ Day was marked by prosecuting four conscientious objectors “Greece continues to convict people for exercising their freedom of thought, conscience and religion”, Amnesty International said today as conscientious objector Nikos Baltoukas was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment and in previous days Jehovah’s Witnesses Andreas Anastasiou and Makedonas Alexandridis were sentenced to six months' imprisonment for refusing to perform their military service on religious grounds. Conscientious objector and Jehovah’s Witness Georgios Koutsomanolakis remains imprisoned awaiting his trial on 23 May. "The right to refuse to perform military service is a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and it’s high time Greece respected it,” Amnesty International stated. Nikos Baltoukas, 37, had served his military service in the Greek army in 1990-91 but when he was called up for reservist military service on 31 October 2004 he refused to report for reasons of conscience. He was thus charged with insubordination and was sent to trial today in the Military Court of Xanthi, where he was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment. Andreas Anastasiou had also served his military service in the Greek army, but later became a Jehovah’s Witness, so when he was called up for reservist military service he refused to report for reasons of conscience. Anastasiou was sentenced yesterday, 17 May, to six months' imprisonment for insubordination and disobedience by the Military Court of Larissa. Amnesty International notes that recently, on 7 April, the Military Appeal Court in Athens acquitted conscientious objector Dionisis Avlastimidis, who had also been charged with insubordination for not serving his reservist military service. Amnesty International urges that all conscientious objectors, including Nikos Baltoukas and Andreas Anastasiou, be treated in the same way, without discrimination. Makedonas Alexandridis had served his military service in the Russian army. Later, he became a Jehovah's Witness, so when the Greek army called him to report for military service he asked to serve alternative civilian service instead. However, this is not allowed under Greek law 2510/97 for those who have already served in the armed forces. Makedonas Alexandridis was sentenced on 10 May to six months' imprisonment for disobedience by the Military Court of Ioannina. Amnesty International notes that again recently, on 1 April, the Military Court of Athens acquitted religious conscientious objector Sergey Gutarov, who had also been charged with insubordination for exactly the same reason, and calls for all conscientious objectors, including Alexandridis, to be treated in the same way, without discrimination. Georgios Koutsomanolakis, 45, was charged with insubordination in 1979, at a time when there was no alternative civilian service in Greece, because as a Jehovah’s Witness he refused to serve military service for reasons of conscience. He was arrested on 12 May 2005 on the island of Rhodes and on 16 May he was transferred to Korydallos prison, Athens, where he remains imprisoned until his trial on 23 May by the Military Court of Athens. Amnesty International has adopted him as a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release. On 15 May, International Conscientious Objectors’ Day, Amnesty International published a new report entitled: “Greece: Punished for their beliefs: how conscientious objectors continue to be deprived of their rights” (AI Index: EUR 25/007/2005), in which the organization expresses its grave concerns about the continuing prosecutions against conscientious objectors in Greece and the fact that Greek legislation on conscription and conscientious objection, particularly Law 2510/97, continues to fall below international standards. The organization accordingly calls for amendments to Greece’s legal framework to ensure that alternative civilian service is not of discriminatory and punitive length, that it falls under entirely civilian authority (including in the examinations of applications for conscientious objectors), that conscientious objectors have the right to claim conscientious objector status at any time, both up to and after entering the armed forces, and that the right to perform alternative civilian service can never be derogated from, including in time of war. Moreover, Amnesty International also urges an amendment to current provisions which stipulate that conscientious objectors who carry out trade unionist activities or participate in a strike during their alternative service would have their right to alternative civilian service or unarmed military service revoked. The organization also calls on the Greek authorities to ensure that conscientious objectors recover their full civil and personal rights, including that of travel outside the country, the right to a passport and identity card, and the right to vote. “We urge the Greek authorities to comply with European and international standards and recommendations and put an end to all prosecutions, imprisonments and violations of the human rights of conscientious objectors”, Amnesty International said today. (May 18, 2005)

EBCO demands amnesty law for Serbian conscripts in exile On the occasion of the NATO visit of Minister of Defence Prvoslav Davinic on May 4, 2005 the European Bureau for Conscientious Objectors tables the problems of Serb conscripts in exile. By Igor Seke More than 50.000 conscripts from Serbia and Montenegro who have not responded to calls up in the 90s live today outside their country according to estimations of the Serbian Ministry of Diaspora in Belgrade. The General Prosecutor of the Republic of Serbia recalls 2-3000 arrest warrants pending for desertion during war time.. The Minister of Defense has undertaken an initiative to allow a return to Serbia without further legal persecution. For a long period of time it was not possible to refuse military service on conscientious grounds in Serbia and Montenegro. That has changed meanwhile and the right to conscientious objection to military service is now legally recognised in all former Yugoslavian republics. Serbian conscientious objectors who left their country were fearing oppression and experiencing threats and intimidation Doing this they offended the law, and now fear repression and punishment from the government and military authorities when re-entering into their home country. It will be in the interest of them, and also of the country as a whole, to give them a possibility to return to Serbia with a guarantee that they will not be under legal threat. Promises in this direction do not work when they are violated against in individual cases. We are informed that this has been the case in recent times. EBCO has therefore requested from the Serbian government on the occasion of the NATO visit on Wednesday of the Minister of Defense of Serbia-Montenegro Prvoslav Davinic to adopt an amnesty law, similar to those accepted by the Yugoslav Parliament that followed Dayton and Kumanovo peace agreements. Only then young Serbians still in exile could be encouraged to return home. EBCO has been an active partner of the Serbian and Montenegro government creating conscientious objection and civilian service legislation. “Likewise, we are willing to provide all necessary support to solve the problem of the Serbian conscripts in exile”, EBCO President Gerd Greune stated in Brussels. (Brussels, 6 May 2005)

EBCO celebrates 25th anniversary in European Parliament April 7&8, 2005 with a reception hosted by MEP Jo Leinen and a colloque discussing "conscientious objection and the european constitution"with Friedhelm Schneider from EAK/Germany as keynote speaker members of EBCO celebrated the 25th anniversary of EBCO. Former EBCO presidents Jean van Lierde, Sam Biesemans, Jordi Tolrá, Hans Dijkman addressed the reception. Greek EBCO board member Yannis Glarnetatzis and the Amnesty International speaker Alexia Tsounia met MEP Raul Romeva from the Green group on April 6 to describe the civil rights violations taking place in Greece.

2004------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EBCO publishes appeal "We want a European Constitution for Peace and Disarmament" May 2004: Together with its partner organization IFIAS, EBCO has initiated an appeal calling for a change in the draft European constitution. In section I, article 40.3 it reads: "Member States shall undertake progressively to improve their military capabilities.“ We are collecting signatures to change this absurdity to: "Member States shall undertake progressively to reduce military capabilities worldwide.“ Please support this action by signing and spreading the appeal. It can be viewed and downloaded here as a pdf-file.

Annual General Meeting in Brussels - new board elected On March 20, EBCO's annual council of members meeting took place at the premises of the International Secretariat in Brussels. The work of the past year was evaluated and focus points of the future work discussed. The assembly said thank you to Hans Dijkman and Claude Verrel, who resigned from their positions as president and treasurer after completing their three-year-term. The AGM elected Gerd Greune as the new president of EBCO. In addition to that, Jean-Louis Vanderheyden was elected treasurer, Hans Dijkman Secretary General. It was also voted on the composition of the rest of the board: Both known and new faces will complement EBCO's executive body.

New edition of EBCO's newsletter "The Right to Refuse to Kill" released Just in time for this year's general assembly, the latest issue of the 'RRK' has been published. You can find it here as a pdf-file.

Refuznik visits Brussels, February 16 2004 On February 16, Israeli objector Ilan Moradi visited Brussels. On that occasion, EBCO arranged a meeting with Member of the Euro-pean Parliament Jo Leinen (Socialists) from Germany. 27-year-old Ilan Moradi, who is studying now in Paris, refused to serve in the occupied territories during his time of military service. He was in military jail for several months before he was excluded from the army- officially on the grounds of mental confusion. In a joint letter EBCO and the Mouvement Chrétien pour la Paix (MCP) asked Jo Leinen to initiate a EP Delegation visit to the imprisoned COs in Israel, to demand the release of the COs from prison and to request from the Israeli MPs the establishing of an alternative service in Israel.

EBCO publishes its youth activity report for 2004 Click here (.pdf-file) to get a detailes report on which activities EBCO conducted in 2003 besides its statuary meetings.

EBCO Yahoo-Groups reorganized EBCO's Yahoo-Group system has been reorganized in order to improve the dissemination and exchange of information and to make communication easier within the network. Now there are two news-groups, EBCO Info and EBCO Board. The first one is intended as service for EBCO's member organizations, friends and other interested people to keep them updated on the topic of conscientious objection. The second one serves as a platform for the board's internal communication and therefore consists of the board members and some other people that are active in EBCO. If you are interested in signing up or if you have any trouble, questions or suggestions concerning those groups, write to ebco@ebco-beoc.org. If you prefer to sign up yourself, go to Yahoo Groups and search for EBCO in order to view both groups.