United Nations

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has opened a call for inputs to inform its upcoming report on conscientious objection to military service, which will be presented to the Human Rights Council at its 62nd session in June 2026. The deadline for submissions is 15 January 2026.

Two recent reports within the UN system have reaffirmed that the right to conscientious objection to military service is an essential part of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

War Resisters’ International, in collaboration with Connection e.V., is organising a side event during the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The event will focus on the right to conscientious objection in times of war with contributions of conscientious objectors from Russia, Ukraine and Israel, alongside experts from international organisations.

The International Centre for Civil Initiatives “Our House”, Conscience and Peace Tax International (CPTI), the Center on Conscience & War, the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO), the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Fellowship of Reconciliation USA (FORUSA), the International Fellowship of Reconciliation Austria, MIR France, the International Peace Bureau, World BEYOND War, and War Resisters’ International, jointly submit a report for the UN Universal Periodic Review of Belarus.

Join us in this webinar with Daniel Møgster of the OHCHR who will introduce the recent report of the OHCHR on conscientious objection to military service.

On March 10th, on the occasion of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council, IFOR participated in the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion or belief, Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, and addressed the issue of the right to conscientious objection to military service in the plenary.

The statement has been co-sponsored by War Resisters' International and referred as well to the concerning situation of armed conflicts.

On March 10th, IFOR -with a statement co-sponsored by War Resisters' International, participated in a session at the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The statement presented at the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion or belief, Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, addressed the issue of the right to conscientious objection to military service in the plenary.

Read the full statement below.

On December 6th, the UN Human Rights Committee announced their decision on the case of conscientious objector Lazaros Petromelidis from Greece. The Committee found violations of articles 9, 12, 14, and 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and asked Greece to take necessary measures addressing these violations. War Resisters’ International, together with Connection e.V., the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection, and  International Fellowship of Reconciliation As released a statement welcoming and evaluating this statement. 

On December 6th, the UN Human Rights Committee announced their decision on the case of conscientious objector Lazaros Petromelidis from Greece. The Committee found violations of articles 9(1), 12(2), 14(7), and 18(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and asked Greece to take necessary measures addressing these violations. The decision of the UN Human Rights Committee advances relevant jurisprudence and could be significant for conscientious objectors in other countries too.
Read the full statement of Connection e.V., European Bureau for Conscientious Objection, International Fellowship of Reconciliation, and War Resisters' International.

In March 2021, War Resisters’ International has submitted a report in the context of the 3rd Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Greece by the UN Human Rights Council.

The report details numerous violations of human rights of conscientious objectors in Greece, including:

QUNO released the updated edition of their publication “International Standards on Conscientious Objection to Military Service”. The booklet includes information on the ways in which conscientious objection has been recognised and is protected under human rights treaties and mechanisms.

A coalition of more than a hundred NGOs has called for an immediate international arms embargo on Myanmar, as a response to the military coup that took place in early February.