Finland: no jail for conscientious objectors

Conscientious objectors to mandatory civilian or military service cannot be jailed for avoiding such service, according to a recent Finnish court decision. To do so would unfairly discriminate such objectors from Jehovah's Witnesses, who are already exempt from mandatory service.

The ruling was made by the civilian Helsinki Appeal Court. International human rights law strongly disfavors military trials of conscientious objectors.