International Human Right to Freedom of Conscience

Political Studies Department Ramal Gan Law College Bar flan University, Israel.

• Acknowledgements -- Selected Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction -- 2 A Brief History of the Development of the Right to Conscience -- Early Developments -- Later Developments -- The Emergence of Conscience as Separate from Religion -- Post World War One -- Conclusion -- 3 Analysis of the Treaties and Other Documents -- Introduction -- International Treaties -- UDHR, Article 18 -- ICCPR, Article 18 -- Regional Treaties -- ECHR, Article 9 -- AmCHR, Article 12 -- AfrCHR, Article 8 -- Other Significant Documents -- Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief -- Documents Referring to the Right to Conscience -- Conclusion -- 4 The Forum Internum -- Introduction -- The Notion of a 'Right' and its Implications -- The Internal and External Right to Conscience -- Mill and the Forum Internum -- Dimensions of the Forum Internum -- Identification Problems -- The Broad Scope of the Forum Internum -- Analogy to Forum Externum -- Freedom To -- Freedom From -- Significance for the Forum Internum -- Forum Internum and Conscience -- Dual Notion o /Torum Internum Beliefs -- Development and Meaning of Conscience -- Understanding Conscience -- Conscience and Moral A ction -- Conscience and Thought -- Conclusion -- 5 The Forum Externum -- Introduction -- Forum Internum and Forum Externum Compared -- Defining'Belief -- Introduction -- Narrow Approach Towards Conscientious Belief -- Conscience and Religion -- Distinctions Between Religion and Conscience -- The Negative, Freedom From, Aspect -- Conscience and Freedom of Expression and Assembly -- Distinctions Between Expression, Assembly and Conscience -- Broader Approach -- Limitations -- Conclusion -- 6 Military Conscientious Objection -- Introduction -- Military Conscientious Objection and Customary Law -- Sources Within the Treaties -- Recognition in International For a -- Decisions -- Declarations and Resolutions -- State Practice -- Selective Conscientious Objection -- Selective Objection in Resolutions and Declarations -- Addressing the Problems -- Current Examples of Selective Conscientious Objection -- Right to Asylum for Military Conscientious Objectors -- Direction for the Selective Conscientious Objector -- Objection to Nuclear Weapons -- Conclusion -- 7 Conscientious Objection to Taxes -- Introduction -- Tax Objection -- Church Tax -- Public Support Schemes -- Objection to Military Tax -- Military Tax as a Unique Objection? -- Conclusion -- 8 Proposing a Group-Oriented Approach to the Right to Conscience -- Introduction -- Some General Points Regarding Group Beliefs -- Introduction -- Reference to the Treaties -- Group Beliefs Defined -- Group and Individual Conflicts -- Forum Internum and New Religious Movements -- Conclusion -- 9 Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Name Index -- Subject Index.