The Armenian government allocated €112,000 to the Justice Ministry during its meeting on Wednesday to be paid out to Jehovah’s Witnesses in accordance with a judgment rendered by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in November 2012, according to an official statement.
In 2004, the claimants were assigned service positions in such institutions as hospitals and nursing homes as an alternative to military service based on their religious views. The following year, they informed their institutions that they would no longer be willing to serve due to the fact that their alternative service positions were controlled by the military. Criminal proceedings were brought against the applicants based on the refusal to serve, and they were placed in detention. Based on these issues, they filed complaints with the ECHR, alleging violations of their rights under the European Convention of Human Rights (Convention).
The ECHR held that with regards to most of the applicants, there had been violations of the right to liberty and security and the right to compensation for unlawful detention, in violation of Article 5 of the Convention. Accordingly, the Court held that each claimant whose rights were found to have been violated should receive €6,000 in non-pecuniary damages, and that the lot of them should be awarded €10,000 for costs and expenses.
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Jehovah's Witnesses conscientious objector flip-flop.
ReplyDeleteChristians who object to military service as conscientious objectors are offered the option of National Alternative Service to work in various fields such as forestry, parks, hospitals etc.
Young men were at liberty to choose, but the choice of Alternative Service for Jehovah Witness men, carried with it the automatic disqualification to be viewed a JW in good standing, (disfellowshipped) subject to rejection and shunning by the Witness community, family and friends, with no hope of a resurrection.
Consequently,the refusal of young JW men to accept Alternative Service resulted in an automatic prison term of several years in penal institutions. This resulted in leaving jobs and, if married, leaving unsupported family and children, being separated for years.
Then in May 1996, WT reversed its policy leaving the decision up to the individual’s conscience (as it should be), no longer resulting in an automatic disassociation (disfellowshipped). These questions beg an answer: why was this policy maintained for decades resulting in needless imprisonment?
Alternative Service, a disfellowshipping sin for decades prior to May 1996, was no longer a crime against God after that date? After men had languished in prisons for years. -Danny Haszard 33 year JW