Organization offers guidance to Argentinean judges who object to same-sex 'marriage'

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jul 29, 2010 / 14:55 pm

The pro-life office of the Fundar Movement in Argentina is offering a conscientious objection guide to justices of the peace who are opposed to gay “marriage” and refuse to preside over same-sex “weddings.”

Conscientious objection is the right to exempt oneself from carrying out actions allowed by law without being subjected to discrimination or the loss of rights, the movement explained. 

The guide points out that both the Argentinean constitution and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, protect the rights to freedom of worship, thought and conscience.

“The U.N. Committee on Human Rights, which oversees the application of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, said article 18 of the covenant ‘does not explicitly mention the right to conscientious objection, but the Committee believes that this right can be derived from article 18’,” Fundar said.

The movement also noted that the Declaration of the National Academy of Medicine in Argentina addresses the issue of conscientious objection and states that no health care professional should be obliged to carry out a procedure that he or she objects to for scientific or ethical reasons.