Belarus: persecution of conscientious objectors to military service in the country

Connection e.V. reports to the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus

by Connection e.V.

(February 2025) Connection e.V. has worked in the last weeks to prepare a detailed report on Belarus, focusing on a conscientious objection to military service perspective to inform the report of the Special Rapporteur for the 59th session of the Human Rights Council (June 2025) about the situation of human rights in Belarus, with a focus on the right to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections and the situation of persons targeted for repression and/or deprived of their liberty for political motives.

This submission focuses particularly on the issue of repression of human rights defenders, civic activists and others, especially in relation to their work in defence of the human right of conscientious objectors to military service and other civil and political rights of conscientious objectors to military service. It analyses how such repression is inextricably related to, and forms part of, the repression concerning “persons targeted for repression and/or deprived of their liberty for political motives and their families”, cited in the Special Rapporteurs’ call for input. 

Connection presented the case of the human rights defender Olga Karach -who supports conscientious objectors with her organization Nash Dom- and detailed the persecution and conscientious objectors’ human rights violations in Belarus.

The report also includes suggested recommendations.

To Belarus:  

  • Quash all sentences and stop prosecutions against human rights defenders, including those defending the human rights of conscientious objectors to military service, such as Ms. Volha (Olga) Karach (Ольга Карач), as well as of conscientious objectors to military service themselves. 
  • Provide effective remedy, and thus full reparation (including, but not limited to, adequate compensation and expungement of criminal records) to human rights defenders, including conscientious objectors and those defending their rights, who have suffered human rights violations.  
  • Repeal immediately or adequately amend all legislation, including about the “special proceedings”, which is in breach of international human rights law and standards. Bring domestic legislation in line with international human rights law and standards, with special attention to respect, protect and fulfil the right to fair trial, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the right to freedom of expression, the right to freedom of association and the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs and to vote and to be elected.  
  • Amend legislation with a view to (adequately) recognizing the right to conscientious objection to military service: 
    • without discrimination as to the nature of the beliefs (religious or non-religious beliefs grounded in conscience) justifying the objection, including for selective conscientious objectors,  
    • for all persons affected by any kind of military service, including professional members of the armed forces / volunteers, reservists, conscripts already enlisted in the armed forces and others. 
    • ensuring that alternative service is not punitive or discriminatory in nature or duration by comparison with military service. 

To other member states: 

  • Grant international protection to conscientious objectors to military service (including selective conscientious objectors), regardless of whether they are draft evaders or deserters, who are fleeing from Belarus where the right to conscientious objection to military service is not adequately respected and protected.  
  • Provide adequate training, including about the UNHCR and OHCHR guidelines and standards, to officials and employees examining applications for asylum, as for the issue of the international protection which should be granted to conscientious objectors to military service (including selective conscientious objectors) fleeing from Belarus, where the right to conscientious objection to military service is not adequately respected and protected.  
  • Grant international protection to human rights defenders persecuted, inter alia, for defending the right to conscientious objection to military service in Belarus.  

You can read the full report here.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, will present his report to the UN Human Rights Council this coming June during a dedicated interactive dialogue. This country based mandate has been established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2012. You can read more here.

Connection e.V. reports to the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus about the persecution of conscientious objectors to military service in the country, February 2025

Keywords:    ⇒ Belarus   ⇒ Conscientious Objection   ⇒ Imprisonment