Human Rights of Armed Forces Personnel Good Practices and Recommendations » Information should be made available to all persons affected by military service about the right to conscientious objection to military service, and the process to be recognized as a conscientious objector. » Conscientious objection should be available for conscripts and professional soldiers, both prior to and during military service, in accordance with international human rights standards. » Where a state does not accept a statement of conscientious objection at face value, the claim should be assessed by an independent and impartial review panel, with the possibility to appeal the panel’s decision. » Conscientious objectors should not be punished for their non-performance of military service. » Conscientious objectors should be protected from discrimination in relation to their terms or conditions of service and any economic, social, cultural, civil or political rights. » Alternative service should: » be compatible with the reasons for the conscientious objection of a non-combatant; » be performed under a purely civilian administration, with no involvement by the military authorities; » involve work in the public interest; » be non-punitive; » last no more than one-and-a-half times the length of military service; and » confer the same economic and social rights as military service. Further reading ODIHR and Venice Commission, Guidelines for Review of Legislation Pertaining to Religion or Belief (Warsaw: ODIHR, 2004), https://www.osce.org/odihr/13993?download=true. UN OHCHR, “Analytical Report on Conscientious Objection to Military Service”, A/HRC/23/22, 29 April 2013, http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/ Session23/A.HRC.23.22_AUV.pdf. UN, Conscientious Objection to Military Service (New York and Geneva: UN, 2012), https:// www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/ConscientiousObjection_en.pdf. War Resisters’ International and the Quaker United Nations Office, A Conscientious Objector’s Guide to the International Human Rights System (Geneva: War Resisters’ International and the Quaker United Nations Office, 2012), http://co-guide.org/. 142