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Amnesty International Report 1997 - Slovak Republic

SLOVAKIA

Two conscientious objectors to military service were imprisoned. They were prisoners of conscience.

In October, the National Council (parliament) rejected a draft law which would have amended the Penal Code to create new criminal offences based on broad and ambiguous definitions of “subversive conduct” and “defamation of the state”. President Mihál KovaF had refused to sign this law into force following the first vote in the National Council in March. A new draft law defining “subversive conduct” in similar terms, which was adopted by the National Council in December, was also rejected by the President.

In April, Bratislava District Military Court sentenced Erik Kratmüller, a conscientious objector to military service, to 18 months’ imprisonment for evading military service, on the basis that he had not applied for civilian service within the legal time limit. The Law on Civilian Service states that conscientious objectors must submit declarations refusing military service within 30 days of being declared fit to serve in the armed forces. Erik Kratmüller was imprisoned in June. In July, TrenFin Superior Military Court sentenced Martin Badin, another conscientious objector, to 12 months’ imprisonment on the same charge. He was imprisoned in August. At the end of the year, at least three other conscientious objectors were being prosecuted on the same charge.

In October and December, Amnesty International called on the members of the National Council to reject the draft law amending the Penal Code as the enforcement of some provisions would violate the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of association. Also in October, Amnesty International called for the release of Erik Kratmüller and a revision of the Law on Civilian Service to bring it in line with internationally recognized principles, in particular that there should be no time limit within which conscientious objectors must submit applications for alternative service. In December, Amnesty International called for the release of Martin Badin.