§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with the Greek Foreign Minister the persecution of the Jehovah's Witness sect of the Christian Church in Greece and the restrictions on their freedom of worship in parts of Greece and Crete; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarWe have not heard of systematic persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Greece, although are aware of a number of cases of imprisonment for refusal to perform military service, to which Greek law provides no civilian alternative.
Although the right of conscientious objection is not, as such, covered by the European convention on human 273W rights, there is a draft recommendation currently under consideration in the Council of Europe. This draft, which recommends that member states recognise conscientious objection to military service, was adopted at the May meeting of the Council of Europe's steering committee for human rights on which the United Kingdom and Greece were represented. It will be considered by Ministers Deputies of the Council of Europe early next year.