Russian Federation

On March 3rd Connection e.V and WRI hosted the webinar "Three years after the start of the war in Ukraine" where activists from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine shared how's the current situation in their countries regarding conscription and the situation of Conscientious Objection to military service. The presentations are available to watch and share now.

On February 23rd, a protest took place at Kudirki Square in Vilnius, organized by Belarusian organizations in exile, including WRI's affiliate Our House, along with other initiatives. The demonstration gathered around 25–30 participants who expressed their strong opposition to the presence of Russian foreign military bases in Belarus.

Three years ago, Russia attacked Ukraine, resulting in devastating consequences. Yet, there are also hundreds of thousands of individuals in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine who have refused to participate in the war. What is the state of their right to conscientious objection? What about their protection? Join us in this discussion with peace activists and campaigners from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. 

On 16 February 2023, in the resolution ‘One year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine’, the EU Parliament demanded that Member States provide protection for conscientious objectors and deserters fleeing Belarus, Russia, and occupied Ukraine. However, this is not guaranteed in most Member States.

The following list includes individuals who have been imprisoned for their nonviolent resistance to war and conscientious objection to military service.

Russia has started its autumn 2024 military recruitment campaign, aiming to enlist 133,000 men, many of whom are expected to be deployed to the ongoing war in Ukraine. This would be the second routine recruitment campaign since the maximum age was raised from 27 to 30 years.

Oops, what are Berlin ad posters doing in Helsinki? And why are they campaigning for asylum for conscientious objectors? The "adbusted" posters are calling for asylum for conscientious objectors from Belarus and Russia.

This morning, June 26th, on the occasion of the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council, it took place in Geneva the conclusion of the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. Connection e.V. took the floor, in collaboration with WRI, to raise the issue of denial of asylum to conscientious objectors and to call on the members of the Human Rights Council to protect conscientious objectors whose human rights are violated in their country of origin.

EBCO, WRI, IFOR, and Connection e.V. strongly condemn the raids, detentions and practices of forced recruitment carried out by the Russian authorities from 25th to 27th May in Moscow. Read our full statement here.

Two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) continues to reject Russian refusers and obliges them to return to Russia. Connection e.V. and PRO ASYL are alarmed by the BAMF’s reasoning, which ignores the risk for Russian refusers of being recruited in a war that violates international law.

From 4th-10th December 2023, #ObjectWarCampaign actions and events took place in over 30 locations across Europe. The demand for protection and asylum for conscientious objectors from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine was heard everywhere.

A report by Human Rights Watch revealed Russian authorities' ongoing conscription and forced enlistment of Ukrainian civilians, including those in detention, in occupied areas into the Russian military, Human Rights Watch. This practice, compelling Ukrainian residents in occupied areas to join the Russian armed forces, unequivocally constitutes a war crime.