ÿWPCd ÑEÕæ<"„ÚbK ºü4Ø!(Êœ:ù$cê9³CíX3vO1Ù ú4ó‡-¯r°]r¶µ<pUÐ$êu"íñ=¦A\߆*gÝ[[ðkŸ‚œÞ¾ |üy|¨jip—Ûj'¤%¼8ûi; Ë&üµ¯ŸÏpj+i{n›øØa~¿_Àµu—Pš³5ÚÞ)ÒÜ»Œ?£ÕI©Î ÆßØ™©ÉB/òêê,\ ¯®¼€írgy[BùDšÍ%W¹‡AoÝ ´'’0¡>®¨À É8VǶ! ¸¯{ƒ±¿oŒ„$ƒs &ô;\ó5dĽ÷ŠÑŸO˜`‡øj‚³ÇqÔ'Ä×>ûS.Çr>6Eð@ô0›,ØoñÜamÿF~ß<2úy¡Iei,c"pÏ A‘  9¯KMÏ»ÏÚõNcuÏ‘5DZgß±RÈ&£À^ŽÅÏ‘1 ßÃ3yTDë>ýÏôl­4mqŽ0œD˜,󰯶2î½;$ÑDA­[l•Yâe«Û¿nKyOTAæëU:CŸi¿Ï±>91˜ów\ÉàD¶åoCëÑ%^ÑÄþ jè„Bä{ûR­ÚÝ@-ÊQ´ØÆ½4¨ó’#ÁüUN½ %  0:^ KwW4[o~ m€— 1‡Ÿ 72& 1uX 72Í 0cÿNb˜HP LaserJet 4000 Series PSÈÙØÙÙØÈÙ0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$¡¡ÔUSUS.,ÔLŸw) K‹k)ê:i¢Ø+003|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ (5hCEKQW]cioAutoList11.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. 1.3#37=CIQYag­­1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)i)(;3£$´´Ô2#ÔÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0  àÝ ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôò òHUMAN€RIGHTS€COMMITTEEÐ ° ÐÌòòH.€A.€E.€d.€J.€v.€the€NetherlandsóóÐ „Ô ÐÌCommunication€No.€297/1988,Ð X¨ ÐÌ30€October€1989Ð , | ÐÌÌADMISSIBILITYó óÐ ê :  ÐÌÌòòòòSubmitted€byóó:€€H.€A.€E.€d.€J.€[name€deleted]Ð ¦ö  ÐÌòòAlleged€victimóó:€€The€authorÐ tÄ  ÐÌòòState€party€concernedóó:€€The€NetherlandsÐ B’ ÐÌòòDate€of€communicationóó:€€29€March€1998óóÐ ` ÐÌÌòòÓ  ÓThe€Human€Rights€Committeeóó,€established€under€article€28€of€the€International€Covenant€on€CivilÐ É Ðand€Political€Rights,Ð ² ÐÌòòMeetingóó€on€30€October€1989,Ð „Ô ÐÌòòAdoptsóó€the€following:Ð V¦ ÐÌÌòòò òÓ  ÓDecision€on€admissibilityó óóóÐ a ÐÓQÓÌÌ1.€€€The€author€of€the€communication€(initial€letter€dated€29€March€1988)€is€H.€A.€E.€d.€J.,€a€DutchÐ Í!  Ðcitizen€born€on€10€April€1957,€residing€in€Utrecht,€the€Netherlands.€€He€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€aÐ ¶"! Ðviolation€by€the€Government€of€the€Netherlands€of€article€26€of€the€International€Covenant€on€CivilÐ Ÿ#ï" Ðand€Political€Rights.€€He€is€represented€by€counsel.Ð ˆ$Ø# ÐÌ2.1€€€On€20€August€1984,€the€author€filed€an€application€for€a€supplementary€allowance€under€theÐ Z&ª!% ÐDutch€General€Assistance€Act€of€13€June€1963.€€At€that€time,€he€was€performing€civilian€service€asÐ C'“"& Ða€recognized€conscientious€objector€to€military€service€and€received€pocket„money€and€a€numberÐ ,(|#' Ðof€unspecified€benefits.€€This€income€was€allegedly€10€pr€cent€below€the€minimum€subsistence€levelÐ )e$( Ðapplicable€nationwide€to€persons€aged€27€who€maintained€their€own€household.€€The€executive€bodyÐ þ)N%) Ðestablished€under€the€General€Assistance€Act€and€the€appeals€board€refused€to€grant€the€authorÐ ç*7&* Ðsupplementary€benefits€under€the€Act,€arguing€that€the€regulations€applicable€to€conscientiousÐ Ð+ '+ Ðobjectors€provided€adequate€means€of€subsistence€to€individuals€in€the€authorððs€situation.Ð ¹, (, ÐÔ_ÔÐ ¢-ò(- Ð2.2€Ô_Ô€€InÔ_Ô€the€course€of€the€proceedings,€the€author€challenged€the€different€treatment€provided€Ô_Ôfor€byÐ ° ÐDutch€laws€and€regulations€which€fix€different€minimum€figures€for€necessary€subsistence€costs.€Ð ™é ÐMany€conscientious€objectors€are€said€to€live€in€poor€conditions,€at€about€10€per€cent€below€theÐ ‚Ò Ðminimum€subsistence€level€(in€1984),€as€formulated€in€the€National€Assistance€Standardization€ActÐ k» Ðof€3€July€1974.€€Those€conscientious€objectors€aged€23€and€above€who,€while€carrying€out€theirÐ T¤ Ðcivilian€service,€seek€to€maintain€their€own€household,€as€said€to€be€most€seriously€affected.€€Thus,Ð =  Ðthe€amount€of€assistance€for€an€individual€aged€23€or€over,€at€the€time€of€the€authorððs€request€forÐ & v Ðassistance,€was€Dutch€Guilders€1012.85€per€month.€€The€sum€the€author€was€entitled€to€as€aÐ  _ Ðconscientious€objector€was€Dutch€Guilders€901.76€per€month.Ð ø H ÐÌ2.3€€€The€author€submits€that€he€should€have€received€supplementary€assistance€so€as€to€obtain€anÐ Ê   Ðincome€equal€to€the€minimum€level€referred€to€in€the€general€Assistance€Act,€read€in€conjunctionÐ ³  Ðwith€the€National€Assistance€Standardization€Act.€€With€reference€to€article€26€of€the€Covenant€theÐ œì  Ðauthor€argues€that€the€mere€fact€that€a€person€performs€alternative€national€service€can€be€no€reasonÐ …Õ  Ðfor€discriminating€against€him.€€If€the€authorities€set€standard€minimum€figures,€they€may€not,Ð n¾  Ðwithout€well„founded€reasons,€apply€lower€minima€to€certain€groups.Ð W§  ÐÌ3.€€€By€its€decision€of€8€July€1988€the€Working€Group€requested€the€author,€under€rule€91€of€the€rulesÐ )y Ðof€procedure,€to€forward€to€the€Committee€a€copy€of€the€relevant€documents€and€to€clarify€whetherÐ b Ðhe€claimed€that€persons€performing€civilian€service€enjoy€less€benefits€than€those€performingÐ ûK Ðmilitary€service.Ð ä4 ÐÌ4.€€€On€15€September€1988,€authorððs€counsel€submitted€the€desired€documents,€and€argued€ð ðthat€aÐ ¶ Ðconscientious€objector€fulfilling€alternative€military€service€who€is€aged€23€or€over€and€maintainsÐ Ÿï Ðan€independent€household,€is€discriminated€against€in€comparison€to€other€civilians€who€maintainÐ ˆØ Ðan€independent€household.€€In€this€case,€there€is€no€issue€of€discrimination€between€conscientiousÐ qÁ Ðobjectors€on€the€one€hand€and€conscripts€on€the€other€hand.€€Usually€conscripts€do€not€keep€anÐ Zª Ðindependent€household,€although€under€certain€circumstances€a€conscript€aged€23€or€over€might€beÐ C“ Ðin€the€same€position€as€a€conscientious€objector.ððÐ ,| ÐÌ5.€€€By€its€decision€of€10€November€1988,€the€Working€Group€transmitted€the€communication€underÐ þN Ðrule€91€of€the€rules€of€procedure€to€the€State€party,€requesting€information€and€observations€relevantÐ ç 7 Ðto€the€question€of€the€admissibility€of€the€communication.Ð Ð!   ÐÌ6.1€€€In€its€submission€dated€6€February€1988€the€State€party€notes€preliminarily,€that€ð ð[t]he€issueÐ ¢#ò" Ðof€non„discrimination€provisions€in€international€law€and€the€Dutch€social€security€system€will€beÐ ‹$Û# Ðdiscussed€in€Parliament€shortly.€€In€these€circumstances,€the€Government€will€not€address€this€aspectÐ t%Ä $ Ðto€the€scope€of€article€26€in€the€present€memorandum,€and€it€reserves€the€right€to€turn€to€this€issue,Ð ]&­!% Ðif€necessary,€in€the€event€that€the€merits€of€the€complaint€in€question€come€under€review.€€In€viewÐ F'–"& Ðof€the€above,€there€is€no€impediment€to€the€Dutch€Governmentððs€responding€to€the€other€aspects€ofÐ /(#' Ðthe€applicantððs€complaint€as€it€does€below€with€respect€to€the€issue€of€admissibility.ððÐ )h$( ÐÌ6.2€€€The€State€party€further€submits€that€ð ð[t]he€legal€basis€for€compulsory€military€service€isÐ ê*:&* Ðprovided€by€article€98€of€the€Constitution€and€the€National€Service€Act€of€4€February€1922Ð Ó+#'+ Ð(published€in€the€Bulletin€of€Acts,€Orders€and€Decrees,€1922,€24).€€Military€service€is€compulsory.€Ð ¼, (, ÐArticle€99€of€the€Constitution€lays€down€that€the€conditions€subject€to€which€those€who€have€seriousÐ ¥-õ(- Ðconscientious€objections€may€be€exempted€from€military€service€shall€be€laid€down€in€the€MilitaryÐ ° ÐService€(Conscientious€Objection)€Act€of€27€September€1962€(Bulletin€of€Acts,€Orders€and€DecreesÐ ™é Ð1962,€370).Ð ‚Ò ÐÌBroadly€speaking,€the€provisions€of€the€Military€Service€Act€are€as€follows.€€Any€person€who€hasÐ T¤ Ðbeen€found€fit€for€military€service,€and€any€member€of€the€armed€forces,€whether€or€not€on€activeÐ =  Ðduty€may€ask€the€Minister€of€Defence€to€recognize€his€objections€as€serious€conscientiousÐ & v Ðobjections.€€If,€after€an€investigation€has€been€carried€out,€those€objections€are€€recognized,€theÐ  _ Ðperson€concerned€is€exempted€from€military€service.€€The€Minister€of€Social€Affairs€andÐ ø H ÐEmployment€is€responsible€for€finding€work€for€conscientious€objectors.€€Alternative€service€isÐ á 1  Ðperformed€either€with€government€bodies€or€with€suitable€organizations,€as€designated€by€theÐ Ê   ÐMinister€of€Social€Affairs€and€Employment,€which€serve€the€public€interest.€€Conscientious€objectorsÐ ³  Ðreceive€the€same€pay€as€conscripts,€namely€pocket€money;€certain€allowances€and€fringe€benefitsÐ œì  Ðare€available.€€As€far€as€possible,€the€legal€position€of€conscientious€objectors€is€the€same€as€that€ofÐ …Õ  Ðconscripts.Ð n¾  ÐÌAs€regards€the€possible€payment€of€general€assistance,€the€Government€would€make€the€followingÐ @ Ðobservations.€€The€General€Assistance€Act,€in€conjunction€with€which€the€National€AssistanceÐ )y ÐStandardization€Decree€sets€levels€of€benefits,€is€based€on€the€premise€that€assistance€will€be€grantedÐ b Ðto€those€who€are€unable€to€support€themselves.€€The€purpose€of€this€benefit€is€to€cover€the€costs€ofÐ ûK Ðsubsistence€if€normal€sources€of€income€fail€to€meet€these€minimum€costs.€€The€General€AssistanceÐ ä4 ÐAct€thus€provides€a€safety€net€for€cases€in€which€all€other€sources€of€income€have€failed.€€ConscriptsÐ Í Ðand€those€performing€alternative€service€are€deemed€to€be€adequately€provided€for€already,€as€theirÐ ¶ Ðposition€is€fully€regulated€by€the€National€Service€Act,€the€Military€Service€Act€and€associatedÐ Ÿï Ðregulations.€€Under€the€established€case€law€of€the€Crown€,€the€statutory€arrangements€for€paymentsÐ ˆØ Ðto€conscientious€objectors€are€regarded€as€adequate€and€they€do€not€require€benefit€payments.€€TheÐ qÁ ÐRoyal€Decree€of€21€January€1988€which€was€submitted€by€the€applicant€is€entirely€in€accordanceÐ Zª Ðwith€this€case€law.€€In€reply€to€the€Committeeððs€question,€it€may€be€observed€that€neither€the€GeneralÐ C“ ÐAssistance€Act€not€the€National€Standardization€Decree€was€applicable€to€the€applicant€when€he€wasÐ ,| Ðperforming€his€alternative€service€as€a€conscientious€objectorðð.Ð e ÐÌ6.3€€€With€regard€to€the€Committeeððs€prior€jurisprudence,€the€State€party€refers€to€its€decisions€onÐ ç 7 Ðadmissibility€of€5€November€1987€(communications€No.€245/1987,€R.€T.€Z.€v.€the€Netherlands)€andÐ Ð!   Ð24€March€1988€(communication€No.€267/1987,€M.€J.€G.€v.€the€Netherlands)€and€argues€that€theÐ ¹" ! Ðapplicantððs€case€should€likewise€be€ruled€inadmissible€...€€ð ðThe€applications€in€question€related€toÐ ¢#ò" Ðconscripts.€€In€paragraph€3.2€of€the€decisions€cited,€the€Committee€observed€that€the€Covenant€doesÐ ‹$Û# Ðnot€preclude€the€institution€of€compulsory€military€service€by€State€parties,€even€though€this€meansÐ t%Ä $ Ðthat€some€rights€of€individuals€may€be€restricted€during€military€service,€within€the€exigences€ofÐ ]&­!% Ðsuch€service.ðð€€The€State€party€also€takes€the€view€that€the€institution€of€a€compulsory€alternativeÐ F'–"& Ðservice€for€conscientious€objectors€is€equally€endorsed€by€the€Covenant€and€refers€to€article€8,Ð /(#' Ðparagraph€3c€(ii).Ð )h$( ÐÌ6.4€€€It€is€submitted€that€in€cases€where€conscientious€objections€have€been€recognized,€alternativeÐ ê*:&* Ðservice€functions€as€a€substitute€for€military€service.€€ð ðIt€appears€from€the€Ô_Ôapplicantððs€communicationÐ Ó+#'+ Ðthat€he€considers€that,€as€a€conscientious€objector,€he€has€suffered€discrimination€in€comparison€withÐ ¼, (, Ðmembers€of€the€public.€€The€Government,€in€this€phase€of€the€procedure,€will€not€deal€with€theÐ ¥-õ(- Ðfactual€question€whether€the€non„applicability€of€the€General€Assistance€Act€does€result€inÐ ° Ðdifferences€of€income€as€claimed€by€the€applicant.€€However,€referring€to€the€two€above„mentionedÐ ™é Ðdecisions€of€the€Committee€it€can€be€contended€that€in€the€present€case€a€comparison€of€the€positionÐ ‚Ò Ðof€the€author€with€the€position€of€members€of€the€public€vis„„vis€the€General€Assistance€Act€is€notÐ k» Ðcalled€for.€€Furthermore€the€applicant€has€not€claimed€that€the€rules€applicable€to€him€were€appliedÐ T¤ Ðto€him€differently€than€to€other€conscientious€objectors.€€The€Government€concludes€that€the€authorÐ =  Ðhas€no€claim€under€article€2€of€the€Optional€Protocol.ððÐ & v ÐÌ7.€€€In€letter€dated€June€1989,€counsel€comments€on€the€State€partyððs€submission€under€rule€91,Ð ø H Ðunderlining€that€the€decisive€question€is€whether€the€difference€of€treatment€between€a€recognizedÐ á 1  Ðconscientious€objector,€above€23€years€of€age,€fulfilling€alternative€military€service€and€a€civilianÐ Ê   Ðof€the€same€age€constitutes€discrimination€within€the€meaning€of€article€26€of€the€InternationalÐ ³  ÐCovenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights.€€Counsel€asserts€that€a€difference€of€treatment€can€only€beÐ œì  Ðjustified€insofar€as€the€exclusion€of€his€clientððs€eligibility€for€a€supplementary€payment€under€theÐ …Õ  ÐGeneral€Assistance€Act€is€necessary€in€order€to€maintain€the€character€of€the€alternative€militaryÐ n¾  Ðservice.€€The€author€contests,€however,€that€such€a€necessity€has€been€proven€by€the€State€party€and,Ð W§  Ðfurthermore,€he€states€that€there€is€no€provision€under€Dutch€law€to€support€the€discriminationÐ @ Ðagainst€his€client.Ð )y ÐÌ8.1€€€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Committee€shall,€inÐ ûK Ðaccordance€with€rule€87€of€the€rules€of€procedure,€decide€whether€or€not€it€is€admissible€under€theÐ ä4 ÐOptional€Protocol€to€the€Covenant.Ð Í ÐÌ8.2€€€The€Committee€notes€that€the€author€claims€that€he€is€a€victim€of€discrimination€on€the€groundÐ Ÿï Ðof€ð ðother€statusðð€(article€26€of€the€Covenant€òòin€fineóó),€because,€as€a€conscientious€objector€to€militaryÐ ˆØ Ðservice€and€during€the€period€that€he€performed€alternative€service,€he€was€not€treated€as€a€civilianÐ qÁ Ðbut€rather€as€a€conscript€and€was€thus€ineligible€for€supplementary€allowances€under€the€GeneralÐ Zª ÐAssistance€Act.€€The€Committee€observes,€as€it€did€with€respect€to€communications€Nos.€245/1987Ð C“ Ð(R.€T.€Z.€v.€the€Netherlands)€and€267/1987€(M.€J.€G.€v.€the€Netherlands),€that€the€Covenant€does€notÐ ,| Ðpreclude€the€institution€by€States€parties€of€compulsory€national€service,€which€entails€certainÐ e Ðmodest€pecuniary€payments.€€But€whether€that€compulsory€national€service€is€performed€by€way€ofÐ þN Ðmilitary€service€or€by€permitted€alternative€service,€there€is€no€entitlement€to€be€paid€as€if€one€wereÐ ç 7 Ðstill€in€private€civilian€life.€€The€Committee€observes€in€this€connection,€as€it€did€with€respect€toÐ Ð!   Ðcommunication€No.€218/1986€(Ô_ÔVosÔ_Ô€v.€the€Netherlands)€that€the€scope€of€article€26€does€not€extendÐ ¹" ! Ðto€differences€in€result€of€the€uniform€application€of€laws€in€the€allocation€of€social€security€benefits.€Ð ¢#ò" ÐIn€the€present€case,€there€is€no€indication€that€the€General€Assistance€Act€is€not€applied€equally€toÐ ‹$Û# Ðall€citizens€performing€alternative€service.€€Thus€the€committee€concludes€that€the€communicationÐ t%Ä $ Ðis€incompatible€with€the€provisions€of€the€covenant€and€inadmissible€under€article€3€of€the€OptionalÐ ]&­!% ÐProtocol.Ð F'–"& ÐÌ9.€€€The€Human€Rights€Committee€therefore€decides:Ð )h$( ÐÌà  à(a)€à ` àThat€the€communication€is€inadmissible;Ð ê*:&* ÐÌà  à(b)€à ` àThat€this€decision€shall€be€communicated€to€the€State€party€and€to€the€author.