Conscientious objection to military service

Resolution 20/2 of UN Human Rights Council, July 5, 2012

(05.07.2012) The Human Rights Council,

Bearing in mind that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status,

Reaffirming that it is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person, as well as the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and the right not to be discriminated against,

Recalling all previous relevant resolutions and decisions, including Human Rights Council decision 2/102 of 6 October 2006, and Commission on Human Rights resolutions 2004/35 of 19 April 2004 and 1998/77 of 22 April 1998, in which the Commission recognized the right of everyone to have conscientious objection to military service as a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as laid down in article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and general comment No. 22 (1993) of the Human Rights Committee,

1. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare, in consultation with all States, relevant United Nations agencies, programmes and funds, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and national human rights institutions, a quadrennial analytical report on conscientious objection to military service, in particular on new developments, best practices and remaining challenges, and to submit the first report to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-third session, under agenda item 3;

2. Encourages all States, relevant United Nations agencies, programmes and funds, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and national human rights institutions to cooperate fully with the Office of the High Commissioner by providing relevant information for the preparation of the report on conscientious objection to military service;

3. Calls upon all States to continue to review, as appropriate, their laws, policies and practices relating to conscientious objection to military service, including by considering, inter alia, introducing alternatives to military service, in the light of the present resolution.

Human Rights Council: Resolution 20/2 to Conscientious objection to military service, July 5, 2012. In: Report of the Human Rights Council on its twentieth session. August 3, 2012. A/HRC/20/2

Keywords:    ⇒ Conscientious Objection   ⇒ Human Rights   ⇒ International   ⇒ International Resolutions