03-05-2001 Press release: Friendly settlement in Stefanov v. Bulgaria application
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Section 4
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(4) Stefanov
v. Bulgaria (no. 32438/96) Friendly settlement
Ivailo Stefanov,
a Bulgarian national and Jehovah's Witness, complained about being convicted
and sentenced in 1995 and 1996 for having refused to serve in the army, claiming,
among other things, that there had been a violation of his right to freedom
of religion and conscience guaranteed by Article 9 of the Convention.
The case has been struck out following a friendly settlement in which 2,500
Bulgarian levs is to be paid to the applicant for costs and expenses and the
Bulgarian Government has agreed that:
"All criminal proceedings and judicial sentences in Bulgaria of Bulgaria citizens since 1991...for refusing military service by virtue of their individual conscientious objection but who were willing at the same time to perform alternative civilian service shall be dismissed and all penalties and/or disabilities heretofore imposed in these cases shall be eliminated as if there was never a conviction for a violation of the law, thus the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria undertakes the responsibility to introduce draft legislation before the National Assembly for a total amnesty for these cases.
"The
alternative civilian service in Bulgaria is performed under a purely civilian
administration and the military authority is not involved in civilian service
and such service shall be similar in duration to that required for military
service by the law on military service then in force.
"Conscientious objectors have the same rights as all Bulgarian citizens to manifest their beliefs whether alone or in union with others after hours and on days off during the term of performing said civilian service without prejudice, sanction or another disability or impediment."
(The judgment is available only in English.)
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