Prosecution of persons refusing service in armed forces for religious reasons continues

Prosecution of persons refusing service in armed forces for religious reasons continues

The policy of prosecution of persons refusing service in the country’s armed forces for religious reasons continues in the courts of Armenia. The organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses has submitted such a statement today.

Let it be noted that in Armenia this organization still remains unregistered. As is noted in the statement of Jehovah’s Witnesses that was submitted to the information agency ARMINFO, a court took a verdict yesterday concerning a 21-year-old member of the organization, Henrik Hovnikyan who refused to serve in the army. This is not the first time that Hovnikyan has been prosecuted for refusal of military service.

In the organization’s statement it is noted that despite commitments to the Council of Europe on the passing of a law on alternative military service, the authorities of Armenia continue an "aggressive policy of detention of persons, who refuse service in the army." According to the data of the organization, there are 7 thousand Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia, from which more than 100 men have been sentenced for refusal to serve in the Armed Forces of the country.