NAGORNO-KARABAKH: Conscientious objector sentenced to 4 years imprisonment

NAGORNO-KARABAKH:
Conscientious objector sentenced to 4 years imprisonment

Areg Hovhanesyan (NKR14710), a Jehovah's Witness, has been sentenced to 4 years imprisonment on 16 February for refusing to perform military service. The sentenced was handed down by a court in the Stepanakert, the capital of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh republic.

Hovhanesyan told the court that he would be prepared to do an alternative, non-military service. However, such a service does not exist in Nagorno-Karabakh, and so he was sentenced according to Article 327 Part 3 of the Nagorno-Karabakh Criminal Code, which punishes evasion of military service "in conditions of martial law, in war conditions or during military actions" with a sentence of between four and eight years. Hovhanesyan was detained after the verdict was announced.

Although Nagorno-Karabakh does not recognise the right to conscientious objection, in individual cases special provisions have been made for unarmed service within the military. Gagik Mirzoyan, a Baptist conscientious objector who was imprisoned in December last year (see NKR14688-180105 - http://wri-irg.org/news/htdocs/18012005c.html) is now serving such a service, without the need to swear the oath, and without weapons.

War Resisters' International calls on the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh to immediately release Areg Hovhanesyan.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh:

Arman Melikian
Foreign Minister
Fax +374-71-71551
email minforaf@mfa.nk.am
A protest email can be sent at
http://wri-irg.org/co/alerts/20050301b.html

War Resisters' International calls on Nagorno-Karabakh to recognise the right to conscientious objection.

Andreas Speck
War Resisters' International

[CO-alert: War Resisters' International's mailing list]
[ on conscientious objectors facing repression ]
NKR14710-010305
01 March 2005

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