European Court Mandates Armenia to Pay 20,000 Euros to Jehovah’s Witness

On Jul. 7, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) concluded by an overwhelming majority (16 in favor, 1 against) that Armenia violated the right of freedom of conscience of Vahan Bayatyan, a Jehovah’s Witness in Armenia convicted and imprisoned for his conscientious objection to military service. The court ruled that the Republic of Armenia must pay Bayatyan 20,000 euros (10,000 for “non-pecuniary damage” and 10,000 for costs and expenses) within three months.

Note, in 2002, Bayatyan was sentenced to two and a half years’ imprisonment by the Armenian authorities for his refusal to bear arms. According to a press release issued by the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ official media website, this was a personal decision “motivated by his Bible-trained conscience.”

The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ statement notes that this is the first time in the history of the ECHR that the right to conscientious objection to military service is recognized as being fully protected under Article 9 of the Convention.

Jehovah’s Witnesses view the ruling as a landmark decision and await the immediate release of the 69 Jehovah’s Witnesses currently imprisoned as conscientious objectors in Armenia.