Ukraine

In late March a Lviv Region court sentenced Protestant conscientious objector Serhy Stadnitsky to a 3-year jail term for refusing mobilisation on grounds of conscience. "I don't want to kill people," he told Forum 18, adding that "of course" he would be willing to perform alternative civilian service. Two days later, a Sumy Region court handed a Jehovah's Witness a similar sentence. Both are due to go to prison if their appeals fail. The one known prisoner, Dmytro Zelinsky, awaits a Supreme Court appeal on 13 June.

Yesterday, the Ukrainian parliament passed a draft amendment to the law on military service in its first reading that will change recruitment practices in the country. Connection e.V. and DFG-VK oppose this tightening and call on the Ukrainian government and the European Union to ensure the protection of conscientious objectors.

EBCO, WRI, IFOR, and Connection e.V. express their deep disappointment and grave concerns about the continuing harassment of peace activists and conscientious objectors, including arbitrary prosecutions and unfair judgments, as well as the inappropriate provisions of the new mobilization bill No 10378 of 25.12.2023 proposed by the Ukrainian army.

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.

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.

45-year-old Seventh-day Adventist Dmytro Zelinsky is serving his 3-year jail term for refusing mobilisation on grounds of conscience, and is due to arrive soon in a Kolomyia prison. On 28 August, Ternopil Appeal Court acceded to Prosecutor Roman Harmatiuk's request to overturn his June acquittal. Harmatiuk did not respond to Forum 18 to say why he appealed against the acquittal. Zelinsky is preparing a Supreme Court appeal.

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.

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.

Scroll down for English and German.

Yurii Sheliazhenko, conscientious objector, pacifist, human rights defender and the Executive Secretary of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, has been placed under partial house arrest in Kyiv on 15th August, being accused of ‘justifying the Russian aggression’. Send an email of support for Yurii to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy using the template letter here.

EBCO, WRI, IFOR and Connection e.V. strongly condemn the fact that Yurii Sheliazhenko, a well-known conscientious objector, pacifist, human rights defender and lawyer, Executive Secretary of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, has been placed under partial house arrest by the Solomyanskyi District Court of Kyiv on 15 August 2023.