Cyprian Ministry of Defence Discriminatorily Applying Exemption Law from Military Service to the Detriment of Evangelical Denominations

February 13, 2006

(Strasbourg, France)-In early March, the Supreme Court of Cyprus will hear arguments by an Evangelical Church from the island nation on behalf of one of their ministers who was refused a military exemption by the Ministry of Defence despite meeting the requirements of the law. The two pertinent laws in question are that all ministers of religion are permitted to be excused from mandatory military service and second, that all religions in Cyprus are equal (Article 18 of the Cyprus Constitution).

Despite these provisions, when the worship minister from the Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ applied for the exemption, given routinely in a matter of days, the response was holding up the decision for several months past the date due to begin boot camp, as well as giving a denial based on the fact that the Pastor in question was not registered with the Ministry of the Interior to perform marriages. The ruling was neither based in law nor based in practise as ministers of the Orthodox Church were also not registered with the Ministry but routinely received exemptions.

The European Centre for Law and Justice has been working with the Church officials since the decision came down from the Ministry and is currently completing an amicus brief based on Articles 9+14 (freedom of religion and freedom from discrimination) of the European Convention of Human Rights, to which Cyprus is bound. The Ombudsman from the Human Rights Commission of Cyprus has made the declaration on the case that it is the opinion of his office that the law for exemptions applies to all ministers of religion and that Article 18 of the Cyprian Constitution must be respected.