Ukraine: Conscientious Objector Vitaliy Alekseinko sentenced to a year in prison must be acquitted

On 15 September 2022 conscientious objector Vitaliy Vasyliovych Alekseienko, was found guilty of ‘evasion of military service during mobilisation' and sentenced to a year in prison. Alekseienko filed an appeal in which he asked to be released with a probation term. The Ivano-Frankivsk Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing of his appeal on 17 November 2022.

Support Vitaliy Alekseinko and write to the court of appeal using our template letter here.

Vitaliy Alekseienko completed his alternative service in 1998 in the city of Zarafshon (Republic of Uzbekistan), where he had lived with his family from the age of 12 until he moved to Sloviansk in Donetsk oblast of Ukraine. Following the Russian invasion, he moved from Sloviansk to Ivano-Frankivsk and was registered at the Administrative Service Center as an internally displaced person. From the Administrative Service Centre he was directed to the Ivano-Frankivsk City Territorial Centre of Recruitment and Social Support of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. On the same day, he appeared at the recruitment center, where he immediately underwent a medical examination.

On 1 June 2022, the recruitment center issued Vitaliy Alekseienko an order to appear on 2 June 2022 and start his military service. He appeared and explained that due to his religious beliefs he cannot serve in the military and take up arms, and that he can only undergo alternative service which he previously did in Uzbekistan. He was given an extension to to present documents confirming his statement. On 6 June 2022, he appeared at the recruitment center again, where he was denied a referral to alternative service. He was informed that he needed to serve in a military unit. He did not agree and stated that he refused to perform military service due to his religious beliefs. In response, the officers at the recruitment center contacted the police to initiate a criminal investigation.

Eventually, Alekseienko appeared in court and was sentenced to one year in prison. It was despite that the prosecution and the defence asked for the release of Vitaliy Alekseenko from incarceration with a probationary period.

Vitaliy Alekseienko filed an appeal in which he asked to be released with a probation term. The Ivano-Frankivsk Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing of his appeal on 17 November 2022.

How to support?

Send this letter to the presiding judge Volodymyr Povzlo, Ivano-Frankivsk Court of Appeal. The letter, which you can access here, is both in English and Ukrainian.

WRI stands in solidarity with Vitaliy Alekseienko, Ukrainian Pacifist Movement and all conscientious objectors, war resisters and pacifists in Ukraine, Russia and elsewhere.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for further updates on the situation of conscientious objectors in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. Also see our ongoing campaign #ObjectWar to support the protection of deserters and conscientious objectors from the region here.