EBCO

Brussels, 20 March 2017

The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO), on the occasion of its spring General Assembly, recalls promises by the Greek Government to address shortcomings in its legislation and procedures regarding conscientious objection to military service, and offers its assistance. 

Article communicated by EBCO's Turkish member organisation VR-DER on 25 Nov 2016
To the press and the public:

While the society is being tried to be made more hostile within each other day by day with the militarist and nationalist speeches that have increased after the termination of the solution process, the militarist pressure on the society is now changing shape.

FOREWORD by Friedhelm Schneider, EBCO President (download report) 

In January 2016 two dates illustrate the contradictory developments which continue to mark the situation of conscientious objectors in Europe: 

Brussels, 13 November 2016

The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO, http://www.ebco-beoc.org) presents its Annual Report 2016 on Conscientious Objection in Europe on Saturday 19/11/2016 in Athens, Greece (at 18:00 at the WELCOMMON Community Center for Refugees’ Temporary Hosting and Social Inclusion, 4 Kapodistriou Street, 10682, Athens).

Βρυξέλλες, 13 Νοεμβρίου 2016

Το Ευρωπαϊκό Γραφείο για την Αντίρρηση Συνείδησης (EBCO, http://www.ebco-beoc.org) παρουσιάζει την Ετήσια Έκθεση 2016 για την Αντίρρηση Συνείδησης στην Ευρώπη το Σάββατο 19/11/2016 στην Αθήνα, Ελλάδα (ώρα 18:00 στο Κοινοτικό Κέντρο Προσωρινής Φιλοξενίας και Κοινωνικής Ένταξης Προσφύγων WELCOMMON, Καποδιστρίου 4, 10682, Αθήνα).

Brussels, 14 October 2016

“In less than a year three different international human rights instruments have pointed out serious violations of human rights of conscientious objectors in Greece,” EBCO President Friedhelm Schneider underlined today. “This highlights Greece’s urgent need for legislative reform on conscientious objection, in order to comply with international human rights law and standards.” For this reason EBCO has decided to hold its next meeting in Athens, Greece (19 – 21 November).

Βρυξέλλες 14/10/2016

«Σε λιγότερο από έναν χρόνο, τρία διαφορετικά διεθνή όργανα ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων επεσήμαναν σοβαρές παραβιάσεις ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων των αντιρρησιών συνείδησης στην Ελλάδα» υπογράμμισε σήμερα ο Πρόεδρος του Ευρωπαϊκού Γραφείου για την Αντίρρηση Συνείδησης (E.B.C.O.), Φρίντχελμ Σνάιντερ.

On Saturday 14th May, the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection are holding their annual meeting in London for the first time; join representatives of peace movements afterwards for an informal meeting at 7.30pm. It will be a chance to hear how we can support anti-conscription and conscientious objector movements today, as well as to discover how recognition of the rights of conscientious objectors in Britain in 1916 impacted campaigns in other countries.
When: Saturday 14th May, 7.30pm

Israeli Conscientious Objector Tair Kaminer goes to jail
Observing the situation of CO in the Mediterranean region EBCO forwards the following information received from easternmednetwork:

For more information please visit War Resisters International website

The draft law which is currently under discussion, and article 12 in specific, fails to end the human rights violations and the injustice suffered by conscientious objectors for decades. In order to restore the rights of conscientious objectors and bring the Greek legislation in line with international law and international standards, but also in order to be able to offer to the society, we, conscientious objectors demand the following:

Foreword by Friedhelm Schneider, EBCO President (download report)

In September 2014 Heiner Bielefeldt, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, speaking at a side event to the Human Rights Council, observed: “Conscientious objection to military service is a specific issue, but not a side issue!”.

Joint Submission by the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) and the Association of Greek Conscientious Objection (AGCO) to the UN Universal Periodic Review 25^th session of the UPR Working Group, April/May 2016

The municipality of Watermaal-Bosvoorde (in Dutch) or Watermael-Boitsfort (in French), one the districts of the Brussels region, organized on Sunday 12 July 2015 a ceremony in the city hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Belgian Conscientious Objection law. The first Belgian Conscientious Objectors were recognised in 1965.