E/CN.4/2003/66 page 14 manifestation of religious beliefs. National consensus on introducing an alternative system of military service has not yet been reached, but a debate on the issue of providing alternate military services has recently begun. In addition, the Constitutional Court is considering a petition submitted by a lower court on the constitutionality of subjecting conscientious objectors to imprisonment without providing for alternative forms of service. It is therefore expected that the outcome of the domestic debate and the Constitutional Court’s decision will form a political and legal basis for future action by the Government on the issue. 67. According to the Government, as of December 2001, 1,534 conscientious objectors, most of them Jehovah’s Witnesses, were serving their sentences in prisons and 106 were on trial. Certain religious activities are subject to limitations for the purpose of maintaining security and internal order in prisons and formal religious services on a regular basis may not be available in some facilities. However, there is no evidence to support the allegation that Jehovah’s Witnesses serving prison terms are prohibited from any religious activity because they objected to military service on grounds of religious beliefs. 68. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Republic of Korea for its reply. He nevertheless recalls that according to its General Comment No. 22, the Human Rights Committee believes that the right to conscientious objection can be derived from article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, inasmuch as the obligation to use lethal force may seriously conflict with the freedom of conscience and the right to manifest one’s religion or belief. Republic of Moldova 69. See paragraphs 50 and 51 of the above-mentioned report. Singapore 70. Since March 2002, the Golden Lotus Theatre, a Taiwanese Buddhist group which presents religious performances in several countries, has allegedly been harassed by an officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Lin Tong Lee, and a high-ranking officer, Goh Wee Liam. This campaign of harassment was reportedly due to the fact that the Buddhist Federation and the Kong Meng Suan Buddhist Temple of Singapore labelled the Golden Lotus Theatre an unorthodox sect, which then is said to have allowed Singapore officers to link it with terrorists. On 22 May 2002, members of the Golden Lotus Theatre reportedly filed a complaint with the Singapore police, but the police allegedly refused to look into the matter. The group was also reportedly threatened with arrest or death in order to dissuade them when they went to submit the complaint at the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs. 71. On 28 August 2002, the Government sent the following reply: “The Singapore Buddhist Federation and the Kong Meng San Buddhist Temple are not known to have labelled the Golden Lotus Theatre a ‘cult’. Neither have the authorities linked the Golden Lotus Theatre to terrorists at any point in time. A report was lodged on 22 May by a female Chinese, but one month after the complainant contacted the