Belarus

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

The 56th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council took place in Geneva between 18th June and 12th July 2024. During the 56th Session, War Resisters’ International, in collaboration with Connection e.V., has made oral statements on the right to conscientious objection to military service on several occasions.

Lithuania should protect Belarusian conscientious objectors and deserters, grant adequate legal protection and prevent their deportation!

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.

The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection, War Resisters’ International, the International Fellowship of Reconciliation IFOR, and Connection e.V.  condemn the 12-year prison sentence and a fine of 170,000 Euros imposed on EBCO board member Olga Karach in her recent trial in Belarus.

This morning at the UN in Geneva it took place at the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus. On this occasion, Connection e.V. together with War Resisters’ International prepared and delivered a statement in the plenary addressing the right to conscientious objection to military service and calling on the Council and Belarus to protect human rights.

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.

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.

The ObjectWar Campaign week of action is taking place between 4th-10th December with multiple events across Europe. With their actions, activists are calling on Russia, Belarus and Ukraine to stop the persecution of conscientious objectors and deserters; as well as calling on the European Union to protect those refusing to take part in the war in Ukraine. Find a list of events here.

Call for actions from December 4, 2023 to the International “Human Rights Day” on December 10, 2023 in support of conscientious objectors and deserters from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Following the denial of political asylum by the Lithuanian authorities for the Belarusian peacebuilder and human rights defender Olga Karach (Volha Karach), the international campaign #protection4olga has just been launched to demand protection and asylum for the director of the organisation ‘Our House‘.

On the International Day of Peace, September 21st 2023, IFOR, WRI, EBCO, and Connection e.V. urge the involved countries in the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine to mobilise for peace instead of war, and the EU and the international community to invest in diplomacy and negotiations instead of weapons and militarism.