These are not mentioned in the draft law. Assurances that information about the right to conscientious objection and to perform a civilian alternative service and the conditions of alternative service will be made widely available to all men liable to military service at all stages. Amnesty International and the Helsinki Committee fear that the adoption of the draft law in its present form will lead to the imprisonment of further conscientious objectors in Macedonia, either because civilian service is not available to them, or because they refuse to perform civilian service because of its punitive length or because it is not of a purely civilian character and under civilian control. Amnesty International will adopt such prisoners as prisoners of conscience. Under the new law military service will be compulsory for all men aged between 17 and 55 years.
Service is voluntary for women.
Men will normally be recruited for army service when they reach the age of 18. At this point they receive notice to appear for recruitment and have 15 days to apply for conscientious objector status if their beliefs demand it. Men will normally called to perform service at age 19 years or over. Amnesty International and the Helsinki Committee are aware of three men, all Jehovah's Witnesses, who have been imprisoned for up to three months during the previous 12 months as a result of their conscientious objections to performing military service. These men have expressed their willingness to perform a civilian alternative service in place of their obligations to perform military service.