http://politics.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5247540-111381,00.html
Judge rejects peace tax plea
Richard Norton-Taylor
Guardian, Tuesday July 26, 2005
A group of conscientious objectors yesterday lost their
attempt to challenge the legality of the government's
refusal to allow them to opt out of paying taxes to fund
military operations, and pay the money, instead, on other
policies.
The Peace Tax Seven were backed by more than 50 supporters
as their lawyers argued in the high court that the
government was in breach of article 9 of the European human
rights convention.
The article guarantees "freedom to manifest one's religion
or beliefs" subject only to such limits "necessary in a
democratic society" in the interests of public safety, or to
protect public order and the rights and freedoms of others.
In a statement to the court they said: "We want to make a
positive contribution to society by paying our tax in full.
We object in conscience to paying others to kill on our
behalf, but current tax policy forces us to do just that."
Their counsel, Michael Fordham, said the Treasury had
indicated it respected their views but regarded them as
"trapped" by the tax system. "They are forced to make an
impossible choice between following their conscience or
obeying the law."
The seven were from various religious traditions, including
Buddhist, Anglican and Quaker, while one had no belief. But
all had "a deeply-held conscientious objection" to funding
military spending, and some had been seeking to withhold
taxes for military purposes from as far back as the late 1980s.
The objectors want the Treasury to set up a special fund for
their money to be spent on non-military purposes.
However, the judge, Mr Justice Collins, agreed with the
Treasury lawyers, who said the European Commission of Human
Rights in Strasbourg had already decided the issue in the
1980s. He suggested the objectors should take their cause to
Strasbourg.
The seven are Joe Jenkins, of Hereford; Birgit Vollm, 40, of
Manchester; Simon Heywood, of Sheffield; Sian Cwper, 57, of
Llanfrothen, Gwynedd; Roy Prockter, 55, of Clacton-on-Sea,
Essex; Robin Brookes, 52, of Market Lavington, Wilts; and
Brenda Boughton, 80, of Oxford. They are represented by Phil
Shiner, of solicitors Public Interest Lawyers.
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