In Greece today, militarism manifests itself most visibly in the tens of thousands of young men who every year are obliged to perform compulsory military service.
Unlike most other EU member states, Greece still practises conscription, with the authorities demanding that all Greek males between the ages of 19 and 45 join the armed forces.
Greek men have declared their objection to compulsory military service since long before the right to conscientious objection was recognised under Greek law in 1997. Prior to this, men who refused to take up arms (many of them Jehovah's Witnesses) were sent straight to prison.
With the introduction of the law - and the provision of substitute service - the situation has improved, but Greek CO law still falls far short of international standards and recommendations, and COs in Greece remain subject to discrimination, poor treatment and repeated imprisonment.
Mounting pressure
It is for these reasons that Greece has been chosen as the focus for this year's International Conscientious Objectors' Day. Since 1982, this important day of action has been celebrated on 15 May every year, in order to highlight the right to object to military service. As the centrepiece of activities for 15 May 2005, pacifists and anti-militarists from all over Greece will come together in Thessaloniki, for an international training in nonviolent action (see box below).
Indeed, international pressure on the Greek authorities is mounting. War Resisters' International recently produced a report for the UN Commission on Human Rights highlighting the problems of conscientious objection in Greece, particularly regarding the violation of UN resolutions.
The report clearly shows that under Greek law COs face repressive application procedures for Conscientious Objector status and a punitive substitute service. Of particular concern though, is the fact that COs in Greece can be tried more than once for the same “offence” of draft evasion, and that having been sentenced, COs lose their Conscientious Objector status and are called up to serve in the military again.
In addition to this, professional soldiers are entirely denied the right to apply for CO status, an aspect of the law that was thrown into the spotlight by Giorgios Monastiriotis - a Greek CO who refused to follow his unit to the Persian Gulf when instructed to do so as part of Greek operations in Iraq, declaring his objection to the war there.
A struggle for justice
With an increasing number of Greek men declaring their objection to military service and international bodies such as the UN really starting to take the issue seriously, it is an ideal time to concentrate campaigning energies on Greece.
There is still a long way to go before Greek men are able to live freely according to their conscience - as is required under international law. Until that time, International CO's Day remains an essential part of the struggle for justice.
The US government is attempting to extradite Belmarsh detainee Babar Ahmad on the basis of terrorism allegations. Ian Taylor reports on the legal case and the fears of Ahmad's family. International CO Day: 15 May What? Since the 1982, International CO's Day has been celebrated as a day of nonviolent direct action in support of CO struggle. This year's activities will focus on Greece with a training in nonviolent action. When? Sunday 15 May (with training taking place 9-14). ll Where? Thessaloniki, Greece. Training and action. The international training in nonviolent action will bring together participants from Europe and Greece, who will use the training to share practical tools for nonviolent action. The training will also prepare for a joint nonviolent action on 15 May. Contact: If you would like to attend the seminar and training in Greece or support the struggle for CO rights, please contact War Resisters' International, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX, Britain (020 7278 4040; fax 7288 0444; email kat@wri-irg.org; http://www.wri-irg.org).