UNITED KINGDOM

Article 9 of the European Convention guarantees the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It reads:
“1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

With Resolution (99) 50, the Committee of Ministers institutes the Council of Europe Commissioner of Human Rights as a “non-judicial institution to promote education in, awareness of and respect for human rights, as embodied in the human rights instruments of the Council of Europe.”

The founding act of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe included under its principles:
“VII. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief”

Article 2 of the Optional Protocol states:
“States Parties shall ensure that persons who have not attained the age of 18 years are not compulsorily recruited into their armed forces.”

Article 14 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child protects a child's freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Article 28 guarantees the right of the child to education.

Article 18:
"1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.
2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.

Article 6 guarantees the "right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts". A substitute service that is much longer than military service can be seen as a disproportionate restriction of this right.
Article 13 guarantees the right to education.

Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

The preambel to the Charter of the United Nations states that "we the peoples of the United Nations" are determined (...):

• to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and
• to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained

Article 1 paragraph 2 of the European Social Charter guarantees “the right of the worker to earn his living in an occupation freely entered upon”. A substitute service that is substantially longer than military service is considered a “disproportionate restriction” of this right.