Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Country report: Belarus

Military Service and the Militarization of Society

(08.10.2023) In Belarus, military service is compulsory for all citizens assigned male at birth between the ages of 18 and 27. The right to conscientious objection has existed since 1994, but it does not apply to those who have already completed their military service, nor to reservists or soldiers.

Country report: Russia

Military Service and Conscientious Objection

(08.10.2023) Military service is compulsory for citizens assigned male at birth in Russia. Since the war in Ukraine, the relevant military laws have been amended several times. In the Russian Federation, the right to conscientious objection exists, so any person can theoretically apply for conscientious objection. However, an application for conscientious objection is only possible until conscription; there is no right to conscientious objection for reservists and former soldiers. An amendment to the military law has made it possible to use alternative service conscripts in the military, too.

Country report: Ukraine

Military Service and Conscientious Objection

(08.10.2023) On March 3, 2022, according to the Parliamentary Press Service, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted the Presidential Decree "On General Mobilization", initiating the general mobilization of Ukraine. During mobilization, military service is compulsory for all citizens assigned male at birth between the ages of 18 and 27, indefinitely. Previously, the duration of military service was limited to 18 months in general and 12 months for students.

Israel: Feminist Counseling Network New Profile

(06.09.2023) My name is Or and I have been New Profile’s Counseling Network co-coordinator for the past 4 years. New Profile is a feminist anti-militarist movement that has been active in Israel since 1998. I am writing this as a part of the. #ObjectWarCampaign, organized by Connection e.V., the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, the European Office for Conscientious Objection and War Resisters’ International. The #ObjectWarCampaign is a very important campaign that calls European countries to acknowledge the right to asylum of people that ran away from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine as an act of refusing to take part in the war, to kill or be killed.