Conscientious Objectors

Honorable Ministers,

On the occasion of submitting this memorandum, I would like to commend the recent amendment to Article 4, paragraph 6 of the Constitution, which now establishes conscientious objection as an indisputable constitutional right, even though Law 2510/1997 provided for alternative service. Additionally, Article 27 of Law 2915/2001 stipulates the removal from the criminal record of penalties imposed for the military offense of disobedience or desertion for those who refused military service for religious or ideological reasons.

Due to these significant developments and my participation as a regular member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament, as well as being an ordinary citizen who is regularly informed about issues related to human rights, I would like to bring the following to your attention:

As is known, the establishment of alternative civil service in Greece, which came into effect on January 1, 1998, under Law 2510/1997, was an important and substantial step towards consolidating the institution in the consciousness of the political world and society. As a result, today, more than 300 conscientious objectors are providing social service in nearly 30 institutions (caring for the terminally ill, children, individuals with special needs, as well as in services such as OAED, ELTA, tax offices, etc.) across Greece.

However, despite the significant developments that have taken place, there are some problems, such as the following, that need immediate resolution:

– Ten conscientious objectors, Jehovah’s Witnesses, due to bureaucratic oversights stemming from ineffective coordination among the Ministry of Defense’s services and procedural gaps in the legislation, while meeting all the requirements for inclusion in the social service regime, are at risk of imprisonment.
– The appointment process for conscientious objectors, due to bureaucratic difficulties, is time-consuming. There are conscientious objectors who, despite having submitted their documentation over a year ago, have not been appointed, living in an atmosphere of insecurity and uncertainty.
– Due to the ignorance of the relevant authorities regarding the rights and obligations of conscientious objectors, the treatment of the conscientious objector is subject to the discretion of each responsible official in the service.
– Conscientious objectors, contrary to the provisions of the law, occupy permanent positions and have significant responsibilities without the appropriate training. However, many are paid only after months, resulting in serious financial problems. Additionally, being located on remote islands, they are deprived of the opportunity to fulfill their religious duties.
– The additional 18 months of social service (on top of the existing 18-month military obligation) have been characterized by various international organizations (Amnesty International, European Parliament, Council of Europe) as an act of punishment, where conscientious objectors are forced to be away from their place of residence for 3 years, under difficult conditions and often facing prejudice and intolerance.

– Following collaboration with the Social Service of Conscientious Objectors (Jehovah’s Witnesses), I submit the following requests:

– To provide the ten conscientious objectors at risk of imprisonment the opportunity to submit a new application.
– To reduce or possibly eliminate (as is the case in other EU countries) the additional duration of social service.
– To abolish the regime of disqualification from social service to military service, and additionally, to simplify the bureaucratic processes for inclusion in the institution.
– To grant conscientious objectors the right to transfer to all regions of the country.
– To increase the salaries of conscientious objectors so they can adequately cover their family expenses.
– To assign the responsibility of social service to an independent body, in accordance with the recommendation of the Ombudsman.
– Finally, to adopt the proposals of the Ombudsman regarding the reform of the social service institution. Additionally, to take into account the proposals for improving the law submitted by the National Human Rights Commission.

For more details regarding personal testimonies and requests, I am attaching the memorandum of the Social Service of Conscientious Objectors (Jehovah’s Witnesses) that was sent to my office.

Hoping for your positive response to the resolution of the aforementioned issues, I wish you success in your work and a Happy New Year.

With appreciation,

Anna KARAMANOU