Kyriakos Kyriakou, aged about 22, was sentenced on 26 October 1992 by the Military Court in Nicosia to nine months’ in prison for refusing to perform military service. This is the second time in two years that he has been jailed for conscientious objection. He is one of 10 conscientious objectors, all apparently Jehovah’s Witnesses, currently in prison in Cyprus. Recent cases of conscientious objectors suggest a trend towards imposing harsher sentences. Legislation passed in January 1992 recognized for the first time the right to conscientious objection and made provision for alternative service. However, the legislation falls short of United Nations and Council of Europe recommendations and is not acceptable to the Jehovah’s Witness community.
