Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Russia: Overview of the 2024 Fall Conscription

Rights Violations and Resistance

We have compiled an overview of conscript rights violations that we learned about from appeals to ’Call to Conscience,’ the ’School of the Conscript’ organization, the Conscious Objectors Movement, and partially from the media. We provide examples of arbitrariness, explain how practices are changing and what this might lead to, compare it with the spring draft, and describe how people have defended their rights.

2 years after partial mobilisation: still no asylum for Russian conscientious objectors

(20.09.2024) Even two years after the partial mobilisation declared by President Putin on 21 September 2022, Russian conscientious objectors to the war in Ukraine are generally not granted asylum in Germany. Connection e.V. has now received more than a dozen negative decisions from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The main argument is that there is no ‘real risk’ that they will be called up to fight in the war. ‘These are people who have decided against participating in the war of aggression, which is in violation of international law,’ said Rudi Friedrich from Connection e.V. today. ‘Instead of supporting their decision, they are being ordered to return to Russia. In this way, human resources are supplied to the Russian army.’

Human Rights Violations Concerning Mobilization in the Ukrainian Territory

(26.08.2024) Together with its international partner Connection e.V. and local partner Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, WRI expresses serious concern about the violation of the human right to conscientious objection to military service in Ukraine. The organisations are deeply concerned about the ongoing war of aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine and the forced mobilization in the occupied territories.

Russia: Deployment of conscripts in the Kursk region

(26.08.2024) Idite Lesom, an organisation that supports deserters from Russia, reports on the situation in the Russian military following the invasion of the Kursk region by Ukrainian troops. The reports are based on a large number of enquiries received by the organisation. On 24 August 2024, Idite Lesom also pointed out that a prisoner exchange of conscripts between Ukraine and Russia had already taken place. This confirms the reports on the use of conscripts in Russia.