IFOR speaks at the UN on conscientious objection violations and peacebuilding efforts in Ukraine

During the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Director of Division of the OHCHR gave an oral update on the current situation in Ukraine during the interactive dialogue under item 10.

International Fellowship of Reconciliation participated in the dialogue in the plenary and addressed the violation of the right to conscientious objection to military service in Ukraine, freedom of movement and the alarming forced conscription in the occupied territory and the recent partial mobilization announced in the Russian federation.

IFOR Main representative to the UN, Zaira Zafarana, delivering the statement during the 51st session of the UN HUman Rights Council.

In its statement, IFOR has also expressed its solidarity to the victims and its support to all war resisters -calling for asylum for conscientious objectors who refuse to engage in the war at their personal risk and those who pursue nonviolent means to peace-building. The speech mentioned civil society peace initiatives to support local nonviolent action such as the Stop The War Now launched by Associazione Papa Giovanni XXIII together with many other Italian NGOs, including MIR Italy - Italian branch of IFOR.

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Human Rights Council, 51st Session 

4th October 2022 

ID Item 4: Oral update of the High Commissioner on Ukraine 

Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. 

Mr. President,  

International Fellowship of Reconciliation thanks the Office of the High Commissioner for the oral update. We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine who are suffering for the ongoing war which is causing tragedies and violations and an inhumane nuclear threat. 

We stand in solidarity with those who courageously refuse to kill and call on the international community to ensure full legal guarantees of their human right to conscientious objection and to provide them protection and asylum1. The right to conscientious objection to military service should be absolutely protected and cannot be restricted, as highlighted in the last OHCHR quadrennial thematic report [presented at the last session].

We are alarmed by the current suspension of the right to conscientious objection in Ukraine, the consequent detention sentences and the travel ban for all men aged 18-60. We have been informed of repression of students protests against the prohibition to study abroad. 

IFOR is also deeply concerned by the forced mobilization in Ukrainian occupied territories and by the new mobilization measures issued by the Russian Federation, which include imprisonment for those who refuse to enlist.  

IFOR gives voice to all those who are non-violently resisting war and acknowledge the efforts of the many who support reconciliation and peace building efforts. For instance, Stop The War Now has just concluded its 4th peace caravan to Ukraine, bringing in humanitarian aid and also support to ongoing local civil society peace initiatives. 

UN Member States should urgently pursue the way to peace negotiations and facilitate such a path, which is within the United Nations purposes. 

Thank you. 

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Click here to watch IFOR main representative to deliver the statement at the UN Human Rights Council.

Click here to read the full statement.

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International peace initiative to support nonviolent action in Ukraine

#STOPTHEWARNOW is a network of over 175 Italian organizations committed to peace building and international solidarity through non-violent peace and humanitarian actions. The network was created to launch a message of solidarity and opposition to the conflict in Ukraine and to build together an alternative to the madness of war. It is coordinated by a steering committee made up of the Pope John XXIII Community, Pro Civitate Christiana and the national networks Focsiv, Aoi, the Italian Peace and Disarmament Network, Libera against mafias, representing all the member associations. At the moment #STOPTHEWARNOW is in Ukraine with two permanent presences, one in Lviv and one in Odessa.
Between 1 and 3 April #STOPTHEWARNOW organized the 1st Peace Caravan, which set off from Italy with representatives of non-violent and pacifist civil society, to witness, through its presence in Lviv, Ukraine, the will to build a dialogue of peace through non-violent actions.
The 4th Peace Caravan was aimed to:
- Laying the foundations for partnership agreements between Italian members of the campaign #StopTheWarNow and Ukrainian civil society organizations (including trade unions) committed to Peace building, conscientious objection and non-violent resistance; possible youth exchanges with universities and Youth Centers;
- Relaunching the campaign of solidarity with conscientious objectors under investigation/protest by the General Prosecutor's Office in Ukraine, such as the journalist Ruslan Kotsaba, accused of high treason for spreading calls to boycott the war.

Learn more about Stop the war now.

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IFOR speaks at the UN on forced cultural assimilation of Tibetans

Tenzing Dawa, TCHRD senior programme officer, delivering the statement on behalf of IFOR.

On September 27th the International Fellowship of Reconciliation took the floor at the UN Human Rights Council during the General debate on the human rights situations that require the Council’s attention.

IFOR addressed the dramatic situation in the Tibetan region highlighting the ongoing violation of cultural rights, freedom of expression, conscience, thought and religion, for instance.

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Human Rights Council, 51st Session 

27th September 2022 

GD Item 4: Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention 

Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. 

Madam vice-president,  

The International Fellowship of Reconciliation expresses serious concerns regarding the situation of violation of cultural rights with reference to the intensification of forced cultural assimilation of Tibetans inside Tibet by the Chinese government.  

In recent years, repressive legal and policy measures were introduced to impose Chinese medium education starting from the preschool level. Non-governmental initiatives offering lessons in Tibetan language and culture have been suppressed.  

Sinicization's policies have also resulted in the systematic persecution of Tibetan intellectuals, educators, and cultural leaders; some of those have been victims of incommunicado detention and sentenced in secret without access to do legal process.  

Throughout pandemic lockdowns, the human rights situation in Tibet continues to deteriorate. Unprecedented controls on online communication is resulting in Tibet as an informational black hole.  

Restrictions on the right to freedom of thought, religion and expression continue to escalate. We have registered cases of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance of Tibetans for merely engaging in peaceful protests.  

We call on this Council and the High Commissioner to address the human rights situation of Tibetans and to work together with China to ensure the protection of their cultural rights: their right to determine their own educational and cultural affairs as provided in the Chinese Constitution as well as the Regional National Autonomy Law and to immediately halt the closure of Tibetan language schools and imposition of Chinese medium education.  

We thank you.

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Click here to watch the delivery of the statement in the plenary.

Click here to download the full statement.

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IFOR has submitted, in collaboration with its affiliate Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a written thematic statement to the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council. This document, titled “Human Rights in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), China and Other Tibetan Populated Areas in China ", has been received by the Secretary-General and has been circulated in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31. It is registered officially on the UN website as A/HRC/51/NGO/151 and is available here.

Learn more about TCHRD here and more about their recent activity at the UN, here.

IFOR calls on the UN to stop the war in Ukraine and restates that the right to conscientious objection cannot be restricted nor suspended.

Members of the Commission of Inquiry. President E. Mose, Ms. P. De Greiff and Madam j. Dzumhur.

On the occasion of the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, as previously decided by the Members States (A/HRC/RES/49/1 and A/HRC/RES/S-34/1) the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the situation of human rights in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression presented its oral update in the plenary.

After the presentation and the following statements by Member States and National Human Rights Institutions, NGOs had the opportunity to take the floor.

IFOR, thus, delivered an oral statement calling on the UN Member States to act to stop the war and save lives and addressed the issue of the violation of the right to conscientious objection to military service, restating its support to all those who refuse to kill.

IFOR recalled as well international standards on the non-derogability of the right to conscientious objection and expressed its concern for the current suspension of this right in Ukraine and its violation in the occupied territories.

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Human Rights Council, 51st Session 

23rd September 2022 

Item 4: Interactive dialogue with the International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. 

Mr. President,  

War should be abolished because it is never a conflict resolution, neither in Ukraine nor in other countries. On the contrary, it brings devastating and dramatic consequences on the people and on the land. 

Excellencies, colleagues, we are here today addressing violations directly connected to the ongoing war. 

The victims are waiting for action. [As we head yesterday during the ID with the SR on Myanmar, concerning another violent conflict, actions speak louder than words.] 

In resolution (A/HRC/S-34/L.1) the Human Rights Council reiterated its demand for an immediate end of military hostilities against Ukraine, and for all parties to the conflict to respect the fundamental principles and rules of international humanitarian law 

We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and mourn with them. We also stand in solidarity with those opposing to war and refusing to kill. 

We have been notified that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense replied to the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement that "Due to martial law, since 24.02.2022 the temporary military service in Ukraine is no longer implemented. Therefore, the implementation of alternative service is not applicable."

The UN Human Rights Committee has clearly stated that the right to conscientious objection cannot be restricted for reasons of national security.

IFOR is also concerned by the forced mobilization of conscripts in Ukrainian territory controlled by Russian  affiliated armed groups. 

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a non-derogable right and, as is freedom of expression, it continues to apply in situations of armed conflict. The right to conscientious objection to military service should be absolutely protected and cannot be restricted, as highlighted by the quadrennial analytical thematic report by OHCHR presented at the 50th session. 

Thank you. 

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Click here to watch IFOR main representative to deliver the statement at the UN Human Rights Council.

Click here to read the full statement.

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Insights concerning the UN Human Rights Council on the ongoing war in Ukraine

- Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 4 March 2022.

During the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Council "Decides to urgently establish an independent international commission of inquiry, comprising three human rights experts, to be appointed by the President of the Human Rights Council for an initial duration of one year, complementing, consolidating and building upon the work of the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, in close coordination with the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the following mandate: (a) To investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, and related crimes in the context of the aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation, and to establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of any such violations and abuses; (b) To collect, consolidate and analyse evidence of such violations and abuses, including their gender dimension, and to systematically record and preserve all information, documentation and evidence, including interviews, witness testimony and forensic material, consistent with international law standards, in view of any future legal proceedings; (c) To document and verify relevant information and evidence, including through field engagement, and to cooperate with judicial and other entities, as appropriate; A/HRC/RES/49/1 4 (d) To identify, where possible, those individuals and entities responsible for violations or abuses of human rights or violations of international humanitarian law, or other related crimes, in Ukraine, with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable; (e) To make recommendations, in particular on accountability measures, all with a view to ending impunity and ensuring accountability, including, as appropriate, individual criminal responsibility, and access to justice for victims; (f) To provide the Human Rights Council, at its fifty-first session, with an oral update, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, and a comprehensive written report at its fifty-second session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session"

Learn more about Resolution A/HRC/RES/49/1 here.

- Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 12 May 2022

During the Special UN Human Rights Council session held in May 2022 the Council adopted a resolution which says that the UN HRC " Reiterates its demand for the immediate cessation of military hostilities against Ukraine and for all parties to the conflict to respect the fundamental principles and rules of international humanitarian law, including to refrain from any attacks against civilians and civilian objects, and to refrain from any human rights violations and abuses in Ukraine; 2. Stresses the need to refrain from any State-sponsored disinformation, propaganda for war or advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, relating to the aggression against Ukraine; 3. Urges the Russian Federation to provide representatives and staff of international human rights and humanitarian institutions, including United Nations specialized agencies, with unhindered, timely, immediate, unrestricted and safe access to A/HRC/RES/S-34/1 3 persons who have been transferred from conflict-affected areas of Ukraine and are held on the territory of the Russian Federation or areas controlled or occupied by the Russian Federation, and to share with relevant parties a comprehensive list of such transferred persons and their whereabouts; 4. Requests the independent international commission of inquiry on Ukraine to conduct an inquiry, consistent with its mandate and international standards, and in coordination with other national and international mechanisms, to address the events in the areas of the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions in late February and in March 2022, including their gender dimension, with a view to holding those responsible to account, and also requests the commission to brief the Human Rights Council on the progress of that inquiry as part of the oral update to the Council at its fifty-first session, and to include its findings after the completion of the inquiry in its report to the Council at its fifty-second session; 5. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to present an oral update on the grave human rights and humanitarian situation in Mariupol, including an assessment of the nature and causes of violations or abuses of human rights and of violations of international humanitarian law committed there, to the Human Rights Council at its fiftieth session under item 2, to be followed by an interactive dialogue; 6. Encourages relevant thematic special procedure mandate holders, within their respective mandates, to continue to pay particular attention to the situation of human rights in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression, and urges all relevant parties to cooperate with those mandate holders; 7. Decides to remain seized of the matter."

Learn more about Resolution A/HRC/RES/S-34/1 here.

IFOR speaks at the UN about the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó on its 25th anniversary

The International Fellowship of Reconciliation participated in the UN Human Rights Council General Debate on item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

IFOR took the floor to address the members of the plenary concerning the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó and the several human rights violations the community members are facing.

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Human Rights Council, 49th Session 

16th March 2022 

Item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights,  

civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights 

Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. 

Mr. President, 

Despite some progress, implementation of the Peace Agreement in Colombia is slower than expected.1 This has made the human rights situation increasingly dramatic. 

IFOR is especially concerned about the safety of the members of the Peace Community of San José de  Apartadó. 

The establishment of the Peace Community, 25 years ago this month, is based on principles of  International Humanitarian Law that protect civilians from being involved in armed conflicts.  

The recent murder of Huber Velásquez, a social leader of San José de Apartadó reveals the freedom of  operation of paramilitary groups in the region [that manifests itself in extortions, forced meetings,  sanctions, threats and recruitments].  

The Peace Community also reported violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. In 2018, the Peace Community publicly denounced several human rights violations committed against its  members by paramilitaries and the tacit and passive attitude of the army concerning these violations. The 17th Brigade of the Colombian Army denounced the Peace Community for slander and defamation and  the Constitutional Court eventually urged the Peace Community to refrain from denouncing such issues.  This decision raises strong concerns regarding the respect of international obligations, increases the  vulnerability of human rights defenders and promotes a climate favorable to the persistence of human  rights violations and their impunity.  

IFOR calls upon the Member States and the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to monitor  the violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and to support an urgent action by the Colombian government to ensure the safety of the Peace Community and the dismantlement of  paramilitary successor groups, [as agreed in point 3 of the Final Peace Agreement]. 

Thank you. 

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Click here to watch the delivery of the statement in the plenary.

Click here to download the complete statement.

IFOR has submitted a written thematic statement to the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council. This document, titled "Colombia: New Threats Against The Peace Community Of San Jose De Apartado On Its 25th Anniversary", has been received by the Secretary-General and has been circulated in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31. It is registered officially on the UN website as A/HRC/49/NGO/239 and is available here.

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25th anniversary of the Peace Community

The Peace Community represents a longstanding effort of nonviolent resistance in a highly violent context in Colombia.

The Community was created in 1997 and March 23rd marks its 25th anniversary.

IFOR, together with FOR Peace Presence and FOR Austria is organizing a webinar series on the occasion of this anniversary. Learn more about the series here. And about the webinar on the Peace Community here.

Read more about the anniversary on site celebration, here.

IFOR takes the floor at the UN Human Rights Council on war resisters and nuclear threat

IFOR is participating in the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council which started on February 28th and will conclude on April 1st.

On March 8th the High Commissioner addressed the plenary on current human rights situations and IFOR took the floor during the General Debate, after the members states, and delivered an oral statement with direct references to the current situation in Ukraine and highlighting other concerning situation such as the illegal practice of "batidas" to illegally recruit young people in Colombia.

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Human Rights Council, 49th Session 

Geneva, 8th March 2022 

Item 2: General Debate with the High Commissioner on Human Rights 

Madame High Commissioner,  

International Fellowship of Reconciliation - IFOR is extremely concerned about the deterioration of  human rights as a result of warfare including in Ukraine.  

We express our solidarity to all those who are suffering because of war. 

We plead to promote peace without increasing ongoing violence.  

The answer cannot be reduced to the alternative of suffering or waging war. 

The way forward is through international law, cooperation, disarmament and the establishment of civilian  peace corps, for instance.  

We support the right to refuse to kill and non-violent resistance to war, in Ukraine, in Russia and in all  countries, including the «No Means No» campaign in Belarus to support war resisters.  Violations of the right to conscientious objection to military service continue, including in Colombia,  where irregular recruitment practices -“batidas”- persist, [ignoring rulings from the Constitutional Court1,  recruitment regulations and compliance with the peace agreement].2 

We are concerned about violations of the right to Freedom of Expression and Assembly also for those  protesting against war. Over 13,000 protesters3have been detained in 147 Russian cities since February  24th.4 

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a non-derogable right and, as is freedom of expression, it  continues to apply in situations of armed conflict. 

We would also like to draw the attention of this Council to the nuclear threat. 

Nuclear deterrence does not maintain peace and security, it only brings terror and threat to humanity. The Right to Life is “the supreme right from which no derogation is permitted”5; [the UN Human Rights  Committee6stated that the threat or use of nuclear weapons is incompatible with the Right to Life and  may amount to a crime under international law].  

IFOR urgently calls on all Member States to ratify and implement the UN nuclear ban treaty [Treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons]7. 

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1 Sentence C-879/11 - Measures to compel those who have not complied with the obligation to register in order to define their military situation - They  cannot consist of arbitrary detentions that violate personal liberty or judicial confidentiality. 

2 Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General,  37th session, 26 February-23 March 2018. National, regional and international human rights law stipulates that military forces are not responsible for citizen  security, the fight against organised crime, coexistence and development. In exceptional situations, the National Police may require military assistance,  which must be provided in accordance with the principle of police primacy and with strict civilian control. The tasks of coexistence and development are the  exclusive responsibility of the civilian authorities". 

3 As of March 6th. 

4 According to OVD-Info data. https://ovd.news/news/2022/03/02/russian-protests-against-war-ukraine-chronicle-events  5 Parag. 2 of General Comment n. 36 of the Human Rights Committee. 

6 General Comment No. 36 (2018) on art. 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on the right to life. 7 entered into force last January 22nd 2021.

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Click here to watch IFOR Main representative at the UN, Ms. Zaira Zafarana, delivering the statement at the Human Rights Council.

Click here to download the official statement.

To watch live or recorded the Human Rights Council you can click here.

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Click here to read the public statement released by IFOR and its branches on the current situation in Ukraine.

IFOR addresses the UN Human Rights Council on the right to refuse to kill

On March 10th, on the occasion of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council, IFOR participated in the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion or belief, Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, and addressed the issue of the right to conscientious objection to military service in the plenary.

The statement has been co-sponsored by War Resisters' International and referred as well to the concerning situation of armed conflicts.

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Human Rights Council, 49th Session 

Geneva, 10th March 2022 

Item 2: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion or belief Joint oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. 

Mr. President, 

We thank the Special Rapporteur for His report1 and share the same concern for the violation of the right to  conscientious objection to military service of objectors from religious or belief minorities. We are aware of two Jehovah’s Witnesses currently imprisoned as conscientious objectors in South Korea.2 There  are twenty others imprisoned in Eritrea3 where there is a system of indefinite National Service. Last year we had the case of Ukrainian protestant conscientious objectors in the Rivne region whose right has  been violated.4 

Violations of the right to conscientious objection to military service continue in many countries. In Colombia, young people are recruited by the official army through arbitrary detentions [batidas], although the  Constitutional Court has forbidden it in 2011.5 

Conscientious objectors continue to be imprisoned in various countries, such as Turkmenistan6, Singapore7,  Eritrea8, Tajikistan9, Israel10. 

In Turkey, Eritrea and Singapore the right is not recognized. Turkish objectors are facing a situation of “civil  death”.11 

As highlighted by the SR in His report, we are deeply alarmed by the violation of this right in situations of armed  conflicts. 

Ukraine compels all males of age 18-60 to take arms and fight in the current war; on the other side we witness  the arresting of thousands of anti-war Russian citizens, and we hear that not only contract soldiers, but also  ordinary conscripts are employed in the war.12 

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a non-derogable right, like freedom of expression, and it continues  to apply regardless of a situation of armed conflict. 

We urge all member States to release all imprisoned conscientious objectors and respect international standards  [for the exercise of the right to conscientious objection]. 

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1 A/HRC/49/44https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session49/Documents/A_HRC_49_44_AdvanceUneditedVersion.docx

2 https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/south-korea/jehovahs-witnesses-in-prison/ 

3 As of March 2022. https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/eritrea/jehovahs-witnesses-in-prison/ 

4 Parag. 79 of the thirty-first report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the human rights situation in  Ukraine (1 August 2020 to 31 January 2021), based on the work of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU). https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/UA/31stReportUkraine-en.pdf 

5 Sentence C-879/11 - Measures to compel those who have not complied with the obligation to register in order to define their military situation - They  cannot consist of arbitrary detentions that violate personal liberty or judicial confidentiality. 

6 https://www.ecoi.net/en/document/2025552.html. 

7 https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/singapore/jehovahs-witnesses-in-prison/. 

8 https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=26439&LangID=E. 

9 https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2629. 

10 https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-conscientious-objector-released-from-military-prison/ 

https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=INT%2fCCPR%2fCSS%2fISR%2f47719&Lang=en 11 The situation of conscientious objectors is defined as “civil death” by European Court of Human Rights. (Ulke v. Turkey, application no. 39437/98). 12 https://takiedela.ru/news/2022/02/24/komitet-soldatskikh-materey/ 

https://mobile.twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1501567647741358082 

https://www.interfax.ru/world/827191

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Click here to download the official statement.

To watch live or recorded the Human Rights Council you can click here.

Click here to watch IFOR Main representative at the UN, Ms. Zaira Zafarana, delivering the statement at the Human Rights Council.

Joint press release on the UN Human Rights Committee's finding in the case of a Greek conscientious objector

IFOR, together with WRI-War Resisters' International, EBCO-European Bureau for Conscientious Objection and Connection e.V., releases today, January 18th, a joint press statement on the historical decision of the UN Human Rights Committee in the case of Lazaros Petromelidis.

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"UN Human Rights Committee finds multiple violations in a landmark case of Greek conscientious objector to military service”

On December 6th, the UN Human Rights Committee announced their decision on the case of conscientious objector Lazaros Petromelidis from Greece. The Committee found violations of the articles 9(1), 12(2), 14(7), and 18(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and asked Greece to take necessary measures addressing these violations.
As the organisations signing this statement, we welcome this decision of the Human Rights Committee.
The decision of the UN Human Rights Committee1 in a longstanding case of a Greek conscientious objector advances relevant jurisprudence and could be significant for conscientious objectors in other
countries too.

Lazaros Petromelidis had refused on ideological grounds to enlist for military service in 1992, when there was no provision for alternative civilian service in Greece. [...]

Overall, from 1992 until 2014, Lazaros Petromelidis has been convicted 5 times for insubordination, found himself in custody at least 4 times, and paid 2 financial penalties instead of imprisonment.
While it is not the first time that the Committee has examined a case involving a punitive and discriminatory alternative service,2 this is the first case where the conscientious objector has not
reported for such service at all. Furthermore, contrary to older cases, this time it was examined under, and was found to be a violation of, article 18(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), about freedom of thought, conscience and religion [...]

Worth noting also that the Committee found for the first time a violation of article 12(2) in a case of a conscientious objector who was prohibited from leaving his country, not only because of “the excessive duration of the impugned interference but also the fact that it has been imposed on the author for having legitimately exercised his right to freedom of conscience”. [...]

The Committee also consolidated its jurisprudence as of the violation of art. 9(1) about arbitrary detention as punishment for legitimate exercise of freedom of religion and conscience.

This also means that Petromelidis should have not been detained in the first place. [...]

According to the Committee’s decision, Greece is obliged to make full reparation to Petromelidis, and therefore, inter alia, to expunge the author’s criminal record, to reimburse all sums paid as fines (i.e., financial penalties instead of imprisonment) and to provide adequate compensation. [...]

The undersigned organisations expect from Greece to immediately implement the UN Human Rights Committee’s decision, both as for Petromelidis’ full reparation as well as for bringing the relevant
legislation in line with international human rights law and standards. [...] "
Read the complete press release here.

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You can have a look at the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) here.

To learn more about the current situation of conscientious objection to military service in Greece you are welcome to have a look at the latest report submitted by IFOR to the UN Human Rights Committee. Click here to read it.

IFOR expresses solidarity to indigenous communities in Nicaragua at the 48th UN Human Rights Council

The International Fellowship of Reconciliation supported the appeal launched by Peace Brigades International concerning the impunity of abuses against indigenous communities in Nicaragua, with a particular reference to the latest massacre on 23rd August in the Territorio Mayangna Sauni.

The Statement has been delivered at the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council at Geneva, during the General Debate following the oral update by the High Commissioner Ms Michelle Bachelet.

IFOR joined 15 other NGOs to support the right to life, land and territory of indigenous communities and called for accountability and investigation of crimes.

Read here the text of the Statement delivered.

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DECLARACIÓN ORAL CONJUNTA 

48ª SESIÓN DEL CONSEJO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE LA ONU: 

ITEM 2: DEBATE GENERAL (14 de septiembre de 2021) 

Leída por: Amaru Ruíz 

(English translation below) 

Item 2: Debate General sobre las actualizaciones orales de la Alta Comisionada sobre la situación de los  derechos humanos en Afganistán, Nicaragua y Sri Lanka 

Gracias Sra Presidenta. 

En nombre de las organizaciones firmantes, saludamos la actualización oral sobre la situación en Nicaragua de la  Alta Comisionada. Hacemos eco a sus preocupaciones sobre el profundo deterioro de la situación de derechos  humanos en el país. 

En estos últimos meses han continuado las detenciones arbitrarias, allanamientos, persecuciones penales,  criminalización de la protesta, la cancelación de la personería jurídica de 55 organizaciones nacionales e  internacionales, así como la implementación de leyes restrictivas que socavan las libertades fundamentales. En  particular, desde finales de mayo 37 personas, entre las cuales siete aspirantes a la Presidencia, líderes de la  oposición, activistas, personas defensoras de los derechos humanos, periodistas, estudiantes y empresarios han  sido detenidos arbitrariamente, sumando a más de 150 el número de presos políticos actualmente. 

Nos alarma la omisión, negligencia e impunidad del Estado ante los recurrentes ataques contra los pueblos  indígenas y afrodescendientes en la Región Autónoma Costa Caribe Norte con el objetivo de adueñarse de sus  tierras. El incidente más reciente fue la masacre del 23 de agosto, en el Territorio Mayangna Sauni As, dentro de  la zona núcleo de la Reserva de Biosfera de Bosawás, en la que preliminarmente se conoce el asesinato de al  menos 9 personas de los pueblos indígenas Miskitu y Mayangna. 

Desde el 2015, estas comunidades han venido denunciando el aumento sistemático de la invasión a sus  territorios, la falta de protección de sus derechos colectivos y el deterioro ambiental causado por actividades de  ganadería extensiva, la explotación forestal y la minería. Inclusive, algunas se han visto obligadas a desplazarse  forzosamente de sus territorios para salvaguardar sus vidas.  

Instamos a que se garantice y protege el derecho a la vida de estas comunidades, su derecho a la tierra y el  territorio, además de su derecho a defender derechos humanos; a través del saneamiento de los territorios  indígenas y afrodescendientes, así como de procesos de investigación que permitan el esclarecimiento de los  hechos, identificación de responsables, acceso a la justicia y garantías de no repetición para los familiares de las  víctimas. 

Debido a la continua denuncia que desde el año 2020 realiza Amaru Ruíz, presidente de la Fundación del Río, por  la situación de vulneración de las comunidades indígenas y afrodescendientes, el 8 de septiembre de 2021 el  Ministerio Público de Nicaragua ha presentado el comunicado 075-2021 donde el señor Ruíz es acusado por  infringir el artículo 30 de la Ley 1042 o Ley Especial de Ciberdelitos, evidenciando que continua la persecución y  criminalización contra la personas defensoras de derechos humanos en Nicaragua. 

Organizaciones firmantes: 

1. Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) 

2. Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL) 

3. Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Nicaragua Nunca Más 

4. Fundación del Río 

5. Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IM-Defensoras) 6. International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) 

7. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) 

8. Mesa de Articulación LGBTIQ+ en el Exilio Costa Rica (MESART) 

9. Movimiento Campesino Anticanal 

10. Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT) 

11. Peace Brigades International (PBI) 

12. Red Internacional de Derechos Humanos (RIDH) 

13. Red Internacional de Derechos Humanos – Europa (RIDH-E) 

14. The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights 

15. Unidad de Protección a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos - Guatemala (UDEFEGUA) 16. Women's Link Worldwide

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ORAL JOINT STATEMENT 

48th SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 

ITEM 2: GENERAL DEBATE (14TH September 2021) 

Read by: Amaru Ruíz 

Item 2: General Debate on the oral updates of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka.  

Thank you, Madam President. 

On behalf of the undersigned organisations, we welcome the High Commissioner's oral update on the situation  in Nicaragua. We echo her concerns regarding the profound deterioration of the human rights situation in the  country. 

In recent months, we have seen arbitrary arrests, raids, criminal prosecutions, criminalisation of protest, the  cancellation of the legal status of 55 national and international organisations, as well as the implementation of  restrictive laws undermining fundamental freedoms. In particular, since the end of May, 37 people, including  seven presidential hopefuls, opposition leaders, activists, human rights defenders, journalists, students and  businessmen have been arbitrarily detained, bringing the number of political prisoners to more than 150. 

We are alarmed by the State's omission, negligence and impunity in the face of the recurrent attacks against  indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region with the aim of  widespread land-grab. The most recent incident was a massacre of 23 August, in the Mayangna Sauni As Territory,  within the core zone of the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, in which at least nine people from the Miskitu and  Mayangna indigenous peoples are known to have been killed. 

Since 2015, these communities have repeatedly denounced the systematic increase in the invasion of their  territories, the lack of protection of their collective rights and the environmental deterioration caused by  extensive cattle ranching, logging and mining activities. Indeed, some have even had to leave their territories to  safeguard their lives.  

We call for the guarantee and protection of the right to life of these communities, their right to land and territory,  as well as their right to defend human rights, through the restoration of indigenous and Afro-descendant  territories, as well as investigation processes that allow for the clarification of the facts, identification of those  responsible, access to justice and guarantees of non-repetition for the families of the victims. 

Due to the continuous denunciation since 2020 by Amaru Ruíz, president of the Fundación del Río, of the situation  of violation of indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, on 8 September 2021 the Nicaraguan Public  Prosecutor's Office presented the communiqué 075-2021 in which Mr. Ruíz is accused of infringing article 30 of  Law 1042 or the Special Law on Cybercrime, yet another example of the persecution and criminalisation of human  rights defenders in Nicaragua.

Signatories: 

1. Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) 

2. Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL) 

3. Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Nicaragua Nunca Más 

4. Fundación del Río 

5. Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IM-Defensoras) 6. International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) 

7. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) 

8. Mesa de Articulación LGBTIQ+ en el Exilio Costa Rica (MESART) 

9. Movimiento Campesino Anticanal 

10. Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT) 

11. Peace Brigades International 

12. Red Internacional de Derechos Humanos (RIDH) 

13. Red Internacional de Derechos Humanos – Europa (RIDH-E) 

14. The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights 

15. Unidad de Protección a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos - Guatemala (UDEFEGUA) 16. Women's Link Worldwide

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