South Korea court frees JWs who refused to serve in military

by darkspilver 10 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  darkspilver

  From The Times of London website
  

  South Korea court frees Jehovah’s Witnesses who refused to serve in military
  

  Two South Korean men who refused to do military service have had their convictions overturned in a landmark ruling against the government.

  [snip]

  It is the first time an appeals court has ruled against the government in favour of the rights of conscientious objectors. A ruling is expected to follow from South Korea’s Constitutional Court on whether jailing conscientious objectors violates their constitutional rights. The UN human rights committee has called on South Korea to allow pacifists to undertake alternative community service.

  A third man, Kim Hye Min, had his not-guilty verdict upheld, despite prosecutors’ calls for it to be overturned. All three are Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/appeal-court-frees-jehovahs-witnesses-who-refused-to-serve-in-south-korean-military-p0x3gvdcn

  Background info:

  https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/south-korea/jehovahs-witnesses-in-prison/

  https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2015/05/a-life-sentence-from-birth-story-of-a-south-korean-conscientious-objector/

  
  
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  How will they continue to claim "persecution"? . . . . Doc
  
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  My Name is of No Consequence

  We probably won't see this in the Watchtower. When was the last time they printed something about a jw being freed from prison? Rutherford in 1919?
  
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  darkspilver

  Hi My Name is of No Consequence
  

  We probably won't see this in the Watchtower. When was the last time they printed something about a jw being freed from prison? Rutherford in 1919?

  Yearbook 2014, page 30

  ARMENIA

  The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rendered a favorable judgment on November 27, 2012, in the case of Khachatryan and Others v. Armenia. The government had brought unlawful criminal proceedings against 17 Witnesses for refusing to perform alternative civilian service under the control of the military. Armenia has paid compensation as well as legal expenses to the victims of this unlawful action.

  Despite the favorable ruling in Khachatryan and the earlier landmark judgment in Bayatyan v. Armenia, as well as subsequent ECHR judgments, the Armenian government continued to prosecute and convict young Witness conscientious objectors. However, on June 8, 2013, the government passed amendments to the Alternative Service Law that seem to eliminate military control and supervision of alternative service. All imprisoned Witness conscientious objectors were released by November 12, 2013, and young Witness men who apply for alternative service are having their applications granted.

  https://www.jw.org/en/news/releases/by-region/armenia/armenia-releases-imprisoned-jehovahs-witnesses/

  
  
• 

  A Ha

  Regardless of how I feel about the bOrg, this is very good news.

  These people's lives are ruined when they go to prison. It's very difficult to get employment with this on your record, so many of these men live in squalid conditions with a dozen or more roommates because they can't find employment. Of course the society doesn't help them out; they're no more than grist for the JW persecution mill.
• 

  intropist

  As a Korean, I think this kind of change will not give the Korea JW society simple good effects spiritually.

  Once young JWs go to prison and come out, they have few choices in secular jobs and get motivated to do pioneering more than ever. They can not but be isolated socially too.

  I'm not sure Korean Government will really allow Conscientious Objection in this country at last. Frankly, I also hope this change to be realized only because of humanitarian reasons.

  I still, from time to time, have some nightmares related with my old 3 years in prison...
• 

  darkspilver

  Hi intropist!
  

  Once young JWs go to prison and come out, they have few choices in secular jobs and get motivated to do pioneering more than ever. They can not but be isolated socially too.
  

  fascinating observation - the 'modern' term that people might use then is that the young brothers are effectively being radicalized by the very government that is putting them in prison due to the ongoing consequences.

  Does Korea have the highest proportion of Reg/Aux Pioneers in the world? (say countries with 50 thousand JWs or more? They're easily beating Japan....)
  

  
  South Korea quick numbers (2016 Yearbook, rounded)

  • Population: 50 million
  • Average Witnesses: 100,000 (1 in 500 of population)
    
  • Average Regular Pioneers: 40,000
    
  • Average Aux Pioneers: 10,000
  • Growth: 0%

  • Memorial Attendance: 135,000

  USA quick numbers (2016 Yearbook, rounded)
  

  • Population: 320 million
  • Average Witnesses: 1,200,000 (1 in 261 of population)
    
  • Average Regular Pioneers: 167,000
  • Average Aux Pioneers: 56,000
  • Growth: 1%
  • Memorial Attendance: 2,475,000
    
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  SkyGreen

  This is good news. No one should go to jail for conscientious objection or for religious beleifs whatever they may be
• 

  Steel

  I really wish they would have to do there prison time in a north gulag where they would mostly be starved and tortured to death.

  Then they might understand the importance of the draft and why they need to be on guard.
• 

  intropist

  To darkspilver,

  

  % of Pioneers : Korea(39%), Japan(30%), USA(14%)

  I'm not sure Korea is at the top but surely it's a one of the highest %.

  To SkyGreen,

  I agree!

  To Steel,

  Why should you be steel-cold to the neighborhood? ^^;;

  Don' t we hate JW.ORG because they don't have love?

  We may hate ORG but why not love them individually...

  I don't think you really meant it. Am I right? ^^