AI report on Armenia: conscientious objectors imprisoned

Amnistía Internacional publicou hoxe un informe sobre as violacións dos Direitos Humanos cometidas en Armenia, centrándose nun grupo relixioso minoritario e no encarceramento dos obxectores de conciencia. Estes néganse a cumpri-lo servizo militar e tamén o servizo alternativo, por estar igualmente baixo o control do exército.

O informe leva por título “Armenia: Fear of the freedom of conscience and religion: violations of the rights of Jehovah’s Witnesses”. Copio e pego o principio da introducción:

Amnesty International is concerned that Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to be victims of human rights violations in Armenia, despite the country’s obligations under international human rights law to respect and protect the right to freedom of conscience and religion. Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia also face violations of the right to liberty and security of the person, the right not to be discriminated against and the right to legal remedy. This report lays out Amnesty International’s concerns relating to Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia, and ends with a series of concrete recommendations to the Armenian authorities to ensure the protection of their rights.

Amnesty International is concerned by the continuing practice of imprisoning conscientious objectors, the vast majority of whom are Jehovah’s Witnesses, in defiance of Armenia’s obligations under international human rights standards. Rather than providing a genuinely civilian alternative to military service, an obligation undertaken by Armenia upon accession to the Council of Europe in 2001, the current legislative framework, implementation and legal enforcement of the alternative service are characterized by measures suggesting a pattern of deterrence aimed at discouraging conscientious objection. There is considerable evidence pointing to military oversight and control of the alternative service introduced in 2004, making it incompatible with the beliefs and convictions of Jehovah’s Witnesses (and others whose beliefs and convictions prevent them from taking up arms). Numbers of Jehovah’s Witnesses imprisoned are on the increase, due to more severe sentencing, and those who serve their terms continue to face bureaucratic obstacles to the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights upon their release. All are imprisoned in contravention of Armenia’s obligations to respect and protect the right to freedom of conscience and religion, and all are considered by Amnesty International to be prisoners of conscience. As such all of them should be released immediately and unconditionally.

Increased reports of physical attacks on Jehovah’s Witnesses and reportedly slow or non-existent investigation of these assaults represent further concerns for Amnesty International. These acts of violence are directed at Jehovah’s Witnesses as members of a particular group, and therefore constitute a form of discrimination as well as crimes in their own right. The Armenian authorities have an obligation to exercise due diligence in protecting Jehovah’s Witnesses against such attacks, including by the thorough, independent and impartial investigation and, where appropriate, prosecution of perpetrators of physical assault. Amnesty International is concerned that the reported failure to punish such crimes may be contributing to a climate of impunity for the physical assault of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and, accordingly, impunity for discrimination against them. [...]

P.S. (18 - I - 2008). Nun comentario a esta anotación, que so pretendía dar conta dun informe de AI, Danny Haszard sinala que, ademais de dar publicidade ás violacións dos Direitos Humanos cometidas contra as “Testemuñas de Xeová”, deberiamos asimesmo denunciar aquelas violacións dos Direitos Humanos ás que están sometidos os seus adeptos. Teño que agradecerlle as súas palabras e teño que darlle a razón.

Coincido con Haszard, un ex-adepto dedicado agora a denuncia-los abusos da secta, en que as “Testemuñas de Xeová” son un grupo totalitario dentro do cal non hai liberdade de expresión. Foi clasificado como secta destructiva (en inglés destructive cult) por expertos como Pepe Rodríguez.