Communicated on 1 March 2021 Published on 22 March 2021

FIFTH SECTION

Applications nos. 52773/19 and 54768/19 Emil MEHDIYEV against Azerbaijan and Vahid ABILOV against Azerbaijan lodged on 7 October 2019 and 17 October 2019 respectively

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE

The applications concern the criminal conviction of the applicants, members of Jehovah ’ s Witnesses, who were sentenced to one year ’ s suspended imprisonment for their refusal to perform military service on religious grounds.

QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES

Has there been an interference with the applicants ’ freedom of thought, conscience or religion, within the meaning of Article 9 § 1 of the Convention on account of the applicants ’ criminal conviction for refusing to perform their military service? If so, was that interference prescribed by law and necessary in terms of Article 9 § 2 of the Convention ?