E/CN.4/2006/5/Add.1 Page 4 Response from Government dated 6 September 2005 6. The Government informed the Special Rapporteur that the issues related to and terms of the alternative service in Armenia are regulated by the Law “on Alternative Service”, which entered into force on 1 July 2004. Article 3 of the Law provides that an alternative service is allowed for t hose citizens whose religion or religious belief is incompatible with performing regular military services in military units as well as holding or use of weapons. According to the above-mentioned Law, there are two types of alternative services: 1. Alternative military service (although not taking place in military training premises and without requirement to hold and use weapons and military equipment; 2. Alternative labor service (outside military forces). Article 4 of the Law stipulates that a citizen is sent to serve the alternative military service if he applies to the military recruitment office of his district no later than 1 March or 1 September before the next regular call-up—and if the district military office takes the correspondent decision to this end. Article 8 of the Law stipulates that the district military recruitment commission discusses the application for an alternative service in its separate session. The applicant has to be informed about the date and time of the session before the session takes place. The recruitment commission takes a separate decision on each application. Additional response dated 26 September 2005 7. The Government informed that the information about the 22 Jehovah’s Witnesses was false. The se Jehovah’s Witnesses engaged in alternative service voluntarily, having first been familiarized with the Law and its individual provisions. The men have never worn military uniforms and the dress which persons who perform alternative service are required to wear is quite different from military uniform. On receipt of their clothing, the men wore it for four months and did not express any objection. They have never been treated as military personnel. They performed their service in civilian establishments, medical institutions and residential homes. 8. After parents of the Jehovah’s witnesses submitted a complaint to the Government expressing their dissatisfaction with the place and nature of the alternative service on 14 March 2005, several Government officials visited Seva n psychiatric hospital, Vardenis residential home and Gyumri psychiatric health center where the Jehovah’s witnesses undertook their alternative service. In all institutions the Government officials found that the alternative service the Jehovah’s witnesses were required to do was not arduous or degrading or in conflict with the labour organization and that their treatment was normal and humane. In the first months of their service the Jehovah’s Witnesses had performed their services as was required