JOINT PRESS RELEASE by Connection e.V., EBCO, IFOR and WRI on the Case of a Conscientious Objector from Greece
13th March 2026
Greece: Military authorities defy international law and domestic court orders in the case of recognised conscientious objector Zacharias Piazas
The undersigned organisations express their indignation for the actions of military authorities in Greece in the case of conscientious objector Zacharias Piazas, in defiance of international law and the orders of the Council of State, Greece’s Supreme Administrative Court.
FORCED TO TEMPORARILY DEPART FROM THE PUNITIVE ALTERNATIVE SERVICE
Zacharias Piazas, an officially recognised conscientious objector to military service, by decision of the Greek Minister of National Defence, initiated the (punitive and discriminatory) alternative civilian service, in December 2025, in an institution for chronic medical conditions in Thessaloniki, away from the region of his permanent residence, but soon found himself forced to temporarily depart because of the harsh financial conditions. The institution did not provide him with housing or the minimum resources to cover his basic living needs.
UNLAWFUL CALL UP FOR MILITARY SERVICE AND REVOCATION OF CO STATUS
Despite his written explanation to the military authorities about his inability to continue under such conditions, on the 10th of February 2026, while still having conscientious objector (CO) status, he was unlawfully, even in terms of domestic legislation, called up for military service to be enlisted on the 27th of February 2026.
On the 12th of February, the military authorities revoked his CO status. The revocation of CO status on any “disciplinary” grounds, (which the Greek Ombudsman has criticised already since 1999) and especially because of the inability to continue a clearly punitive and discriminatory alternative civilian service, constitute violations of international treaties that Greece has ratified (e.g. ICCPR, ECHR) and which, according to the Greek constitution, prevail over any domestic legislation.
COURT ORDERS SUSPENSION OF OBLIGATION FOR MILITARY SERVICE
Mr. Piazas, through his lawyer Mr. Timotheos Sigalas, has lodged a number of applications with the Council of State, Greece’s Supreme Administrative Court, for the annulment of the decisions of the authorities and until this is decided, for their suspension. On the 27th of February 2026, the day he was scheduled to report for military service, the President of the 6th department of the Council of State issued a provisional order of suspension of the execution of the appealed decisions, as far as they concern the obligation to report for military service.
MILITARY AUTHORITIES DEFY COURT ORDERS AND INSIST ON CALLING UP FOR MILITARY SERVICE
Despite that, on the 6th of March 2026, the military authorities informed Mr. Piazas that they revoke the [manifestly unlawful] call up for military service [of the 10th of February] for enlistment on the 27th of February, but he is now scheduled to report for military service in May 2026, and that he will receive a new call up for military service.
It appears that the military authorities in Greece try to circumvent the provisional order of suspension issued by the Council of State, while they insist on the revocation of Mr. Piazas’ CO status and on calling him for military service. This constitutes an alarming move of defiance towards the spirit of the orders of the Supreme Administrative Court by the military authorities in Greece. It also constitutes a form of persecution of a recognised conscientious objector.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS’ CALL
The undersigned international organisations urge the Greek authorities to halt such persecution, cease calling up Zacharias Piazas, a recognised conscientious objector, for military service, immediately annul the unlawful revocation of his CO status, and provide him and all conscientious objectors in Greece with an alternative civilian service which is not punitive and discriminatory in terms of its nature, cost or duration, according to the relevant concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee.
— «Connection e.V.»
— «European Bureau for Conscientious Objection» (EBCO)
— «International Fellowship of Reconciliation» (IFOR)
— «War Resisters’ International» (WRI)
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Keywords: ⇒ Conscientious Objection ⇒ Greece