Greece: Imprisonment of conscientious objectors: Fotis Anastasiadis, Pavlos Parastatidis

Fotis Anastasiadis was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by the Military Court on 20 September 1993 for refusing to perform military service. Pavlos Parastatidis was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on 30 March 1994. Both are Jehovah’s witnesses. There are currently about 350 other conscientious objectors in prison in Greece for refusing to perform military service or reservist exercises. As far as AI is aware, all are Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose religious beliefs do not permit them to serve in the armed forces in any capacity. AI considers them to be prisoners of conscience and is calling for their immediate release and for the introduction of a completely civilian service of non-punitive length for conscientious objectors.

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