Refusing to Kill: Statements of Conscientious Objectors

On the occasion of International Conscientious Objection Day, we are sharing the voices of conscientious objectors from around the world — individuals who have taken a stand against war and militarism by refusing to serve in the armed forces. These statements, collected from diverse countries and contexts, reflect the conviction and resilience of those who choose peace over violence. In a time of ongoing conflict and growing militarisation, their words remind us of the power of conscience and the importance of protecting the right to refuse to kill.

Inan Mayis Aru (Turkey)

My name is İnan Mayıs Aru. I’m a conscientious objector from Turkey. I declared my refusal of military service in 2008, not only as a personal decision, but as a political stance against the militarist, nationalist, and patriarchal structures that dominate life in Turkey.

Turkey has no legal recognition of conscientious objection.  Those who refuse to fight are subjected to what’s called “civil death”. We are denied legal employment, the right to vote, and access to basic services such as social security and health insurance. We face repeated prosecutions and live under constant legal threat. I have been prosecuted multiple times, sentenced, fined, and placed under probation—simply for acting according to my conscience.

Despite applying to the Constitutional Court in 2017, there has still been no ruling. This delay blocks my right to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, effectively silencing legal recourse. Many objectors are pushed into poverty or forced into exile, and even then, they face new challenges, as many countries still do not recognize conscientious objection as a valid ground for asylum.

From Palestine to Myanmar, from Ukraine to Sudan, wars continue to destroy lives, cultures, and futures. We stand in solidarity with all those affected by the horrors of militarism in their lands. Conscientious objection is not just a personal right—it’s a global act of resistance against war. 

The message is clear: Say no to organised violence, and yes to justice, dignity, and peace.

Thank you for standing with us.

Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal (Thailand)

My name is Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal. I am a conscientious objector from Thailand.

In my country, military conscription is still enforced. Young men are expected to surrender their bodies to the state but have chosen a different path.

I refused conscription not out of fear, but out of conviction. I reject the idea that peace must come through violence, that obedience is more important than conscience.

Militaristic values permeate Thai society—not only in the barracks, but in our classrooms, in our politics, in how young people are taught to think and express themselves. These values make true education, democracy, and freedom of expression difficult to achieve.

Our objective is to resist that mindset and instead we say: our lives should not be tools of war, our minds not moulded by fear.

On this International CO Day, I stand in solidarity with objectors around the world—those who refuse to kill, those who choose compassion over conformity. Our stance may be lonely, even dangerous, BUT it is also necessary.

Because conscience is not weakness. It is strength. And it may yet be the seed of a more just and peaceful world.

Kim Minhyung (South Korea)

Hello. I am Kim Minhyung, a conscientious objector from South Korea.

Today, on the International Conscientious Objectors' Day, we are here to share our hearts for peace and human rights. The martial law situation that occurred in South Korea in December 2024 was a significant moment for us. At that time, the passive resistance of the South Korean soldiers and the non-violent resistance of the citizens became the decisive force in stopping the martial law. This vividly showed the power we have when we stand in solidarity and resist together.

Conscientious objection is not simply an individual's choice, but a powerful cry and action for peace and human rights. We firmly hold onto the belief that we can resolve problems through dialogue and peaceful means, not by force. 

When our voices are gathered as one, they can create a greater echo. Witnessing the courageous activities of each of you in your respective places, and the many people who have quietly continued their conscientious objections in South Korea for a long time, I too was able to decide to object. I would like to sincerely thank you all. I will continue to stand in solidarity with you all in the future.

What we can imagine, we can make real. So, let's never stop imagining more peace.

Thank you.

Andrii Konouvalov (Ukraine) 

Derived from an interview with Andrii Konovalov, 23 March 2024, conducted by Rudi Friedrich and Peter Förster of Connection e.V. based in Germany.

In Ukrainian society, we are currently experiencing pressure being exerted on men. They are supposed to be real men. ... There is moral pressure to take part in war, to wage war, to defend your country. This is especially true for male war refugees. It is seen as a betrayal to have simply left Ukraine.

If they have managed to get here, it is of course easier to simply remain silent. If they have fled to safety from the war, then it is more important to them to simply to be able to live here in Europe. Fear for their families too also plays a role here. They are worried that their families will be put under pressure if they speak out publicly.
...
I have many friends in Ukraine who are threatened with conscription into the war. Almost nobody wants that. They try to avoid it and not be called up. I don't have that risk at the moment.

When I look at the situation in Ukraine, the situation of some of my friends, it's clear to me that I want to be part of a movement in favour of conscientious objection. It's obvious how ruinous it is for a society to be forced into military service.

…

It is very important for me to have a concept of how my country will develop, in what form Ukraine can exist and develop sustainably.

After two years of war, after hundreds of thousands of deaths on both sides, it is clear to see that armaments, weapons and war itself cannot achieve the goals of the military-minded politicians. Dialogue is the only alternative. It will have to be a dialogue with compromises, with a willingness to compromise. That is the only way to improve the situation and create security. What is now being presented to us as having no alternative, war, has proven to be ineffective.

Read the full interview here.

A statement by high school students (Israel)

From crib to kindergarten, every kid in Israel knows exactly what the trajectory of their early lives will look like: School, military service, and only then-  stepping out into the 'real' world. Why is carrying a firearm treated like just another subject in school? Enlistment isn't just another stage in life, but a meaningful choice with immense personal and political weight.
What interests and policies are we serving when we enlist in the army?

Since the beginning of the war, we've been told that we're fighting for the sake of survival, and that there is no choice but to attack. We're told that this military solution will bring back the hostages and guarantee our safety, and that there is no other alternative. After over a year and a half at war, we understand that the narrative the state has been preaching to us is nothing but an illusion; Beneath the promise of 'Annihilating Hamas', the government exacted a senseless campaign of revenge against the Palestinian people that has not stopped for even a moment.

Reality tells us that contrary to the government's promises, the war has brought nothing but destruction upon both sides- As of now, at least 50,000 people have been killed in Gaza, 70% of them are women and children, hostages are being killed in captivity while a deal is on the table, tens of thousands of Palestinians are being displaced from their homes in the West Bank, and over 800 Israeli soldiers have died during battle. Whilst a relevant deal consisting of the return of all hostages and a permanent end to the war is on the table, the government is preoccupied with killing and planning future settlements. It's been made clear that the first of all priorities in this military campaign is the occupation and murder of the Palestinian people- above our safety, above all hope for a diplomatic solution, and above peace.  This is not the will of the people, so why should we keep reporting for service?

Time after time we bear witness to dehumanisation and daily violence being committed against the Palestinian people in the form of campaigns, wars and raids with no solution in sight. Only a few kilometers stand between our world and a world where teenagers are being uprooted from their destroyed homes to displacement camps which too, get bombed. Their fates could've been the fates of any one of us. We understand that violence is a vicious, never-ending cycle and that fixing the problem means tending to its root.  We are sick of the Status Quo that has continued for 77 years, which not only denies us peace- but demands a toll on both sides that mustn't be suffered.

In light of all this, we refuse to take part in said Israeli Hostility and thus declare; There is no military solution- there never will be. We refuse to take part in the front lines, in the medical corps, in intelligence and also in office. We refuse to be a cog in the machine that fuels bloodshed, and instead, we will create a reality of justice, freedom and equality, which we know is possible. We call on every teenager to question what they know.

In the name of change, we choose to refuse- for the Sake of Change!

Read the statement in other languages here.

‘Sasha’ (Russia)

Letter from ‘Sasha’ – a Russian Conscientious Objector

The following is an excerpt from a testimony written by a young Russian man we’ll call ‘Sasha’. 

‘On a cold morning of 30 September 2022, I stood in a Moscow metro station, my heart racing as two police officers approached. Their eyes fixed on me as they asked for my documents. I was to be taken to a police station for ‘document verification’ but I knew what it meant — my name had been placed on the recruitment list, and the life I once knew was slipping away, caged by the relentless grip of a system I could no longer escape. 

What followed were hours of terror. I was taken to the mobilisation centre, surrounded by police with no chance of escape. Before I knew it, I was on a bus filled with recruits, heading into the unknown. Once at the training centre, I refused to accept my situation. I tried to appeal the decision of my mobilisation, hoping to be granted alternative civil service instead. I filed a formal request, but it was ignored. Despite my efforts, I was deployed. 

From a young age, I understood the power of kindness and how it could transform not only others but also myself. As a teenager, watching documentaries on WWII deeply affected me. I promised myself I would always offer a helping hand to those in need and never hurt anyone intentionally. 

Even during deployment, I tried to hold onto my beliefs. I was surrounded by brutality, oppression and injustice, but I refused to become a part of it. I offered whatever kindness I could. I helped people where possible and treated them with empathy and respect, even when everything around me felt hopelessly dark. However, despite these small acts of kindness, the mental strain of being part of something I fundamentally disagreed with was unbearable.  

I managed to escape. Now, I live in Georgia. The experiences I’ve endured have reshaped my life and goals. I am now dedicated to ending this unjust war and working toward a future where Russians can live freely and happily, without fear or oppression. I feel a profound empathy for those still trapped in Russia, forced to surrender their moral beliefs just to survive. My hope is for a future where such choices are no longer necessary.’  

Your support would be invaluable to me.

Halil Karapasaoglu (Cyprus)

For thousands of years, humans have been enslaving humans. For thousands of years, the powerful have used the oppressed classes to deepen hunger, misery, and oppression among the poor. From the earth to the sky, everything is surrounded by weapons. 

The human has forgotten to share the sky with the birds and the earth with the ants. Conscientious objectors around the world are the conscience of great humanity. 

Conscientious objectors carry the heart of a partridge, the hands of a child killed in Palestine, the memory of Maria displaced in Cyprus. Conscientious objection is a person's resistance to oppression. Conscientious objection is civil disobedience to the master. The conscientious objectors of the whole world must unite with the oppressed of the entire world. Our resistance will continue from Spartacus to the present day until the last human is liberated.

Itamar Greenberg (Israel)

Hi, I'm Itamar Greenberg, and I'd like to briefly introduce myself. 

I'm a 19-year-old Jewish man. This past August, I refused to enlist in the military. As a result of that refusal, I was sentenced to a total of six months in military prison.

On International Conscientious Objectors Day, I want to remind us of a simple truth: even in the face of violent power structures – it is both possible and necessary to resist without violence.

For many years, the world has been shaped by the fixed belief that violence and war are normal – something we just have to live with.

But in a just world, there would be no need for laws of warfare – because the only law would be this: war is not an option. Nothing about it is moral.

Conscientious objection is not a sign of fear or escape – it is an act of courage.

The courage to say "no" when everyone is silent. The courage to break the cycle of obedience. The courage to imagine a different kind of society – one without violence.

My refusal to serve is a moral choice – but also a political one.

It's a declaration: we can, and must, fight for change without picking up weapons. Precisely by refusing to pick them up.

Nonviolent resistance is urgently needed across the world – and especially here, in the face of military occupation and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

For me, this refusal is part of a larger journey toward humanism – the same path that led me to embrace veganism and dedicate my life to the struggle for justice and human rights.

And so, today, I’m not just marking my personal choice.

I’m raising my voice with all conscientious objectors across the globe:

Let us dismantle the culture of violence.

Let us build a culture rooted in compassion, courage, and care.

Let us reclaim our voices – and use them to choose a different future.

Refusniks of the world, unite.