Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Members of Jehovah's Witnesses Continue to Dodge Military Service

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Members of Jehovah's Witnesses Continue to Dodge Military Service

    MEMBERS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES CONTINUE TO DODGE MILITARY SERVICE

    Armenpress

    YEREVAN, JULY 31, ARMENPRESS: A deputy chief military prosecutor said
    29 Armenians males were placed on the list of wanted persons after
    they all refused to take either alternative military or alternative
    labor mandatory services, envisaged by the law for persons who refuse
    to serve in the regular army on religious grounds.

    Mnatsakan Sarkisian, the deputy chief military prosecutor, said all
    29 men are members of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization,
    which encourages its male members to dodge the obligatory military
    service.

    He said unlike in the past, now the law envisages criminal prosecution
    for such people. "Every male citizen of the Republic of Armenia must
    know that he must have its mandatory military service, set by the
    Constitution," he said.

    He said 656 cases of dodging military service were registered in the
    first six months of this year, down from 877 from a year ago.

    Under the law, those who want to have alternative military (in the
    army units) or alternative labor service (mainly in hospitals and
    old-people's houses) have to file an application beforehand, Sedrak
    Sedrakian, from the defense ministry said no applications were received
    so far from those males who are to be called this autumn.

    The law on alternative military service was enforced in 2004
    March. The term of alternative military service is 36 months and that
    of alternative labor service is 42 months, while the term of service
    in the regular army is 24 months.
Working...
X