Connection e.V. reports on conscientious objection to military service for the UN UPR of Singapore and Latvia

10th October 2025

«Connection e.V.» submitted two reports for the upcoming 52nd session of the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR). All UN Members States have to go under review periodically at the UN Human Rights Council. This review is a political procedure where other Member States can make recommendations to the State under review which has the possibility to accept them and commit to fulfil them and report on them or refuse them.

The 52nd session of the UPR will take place at the UN in Geneva between April and May 2026.

Civil society organizations and other stake holders have the opportunity to submit country based report six months prior to the session and then to engage in advocacy initiatives during the pre—session which two months in advance, in this case, on February 10—13, 2026.

«Connection e.V.» will be working on the UPR of Singapore and Latvia.

SINGAPORE

Read the full report on Singapore ↷

«Connection e.V.» reported on the lack of recognition of the right to conscientious objection to military service and on juvenile recruitment with specific reference to the work done by the UN Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC) on this country.

«Connection e.V.» suggested the following recommendations:

⸻ release and compensate all imprisoned conscientious objectors to military service and enact laws that will allow for an alternative civilian service for those who refuse military service on grounds of conscience, in line with international human rights law and standards;

⸻ raise the minimum age for voluntarily recruitment in the armed forces to 18 years of age, conforming to the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and withdraw the declaration concerning article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OP—CRC—AC);

⸻ ensure full implementation of all further recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child concerning OP—CRC—AC, including, inter ali:

—— prohibition of all forms of corporal punishment, explicit legal provisions providing for the protection of children who have been recruited or used in conflict situation,

—— definition and punishment of the recruitment of children under the age of 15 years as a war crime,

—— establishment of complaints mechanism for members of the armed forces in particular under the age of 18 outside the Ministry of Defence,

—— no subjection of underage volunteers to military tribunals, and identification at an early stage of asylum—seeking,

—— refugee or migrant children who may have been involved in armed conflict abroad;

⸻ ratify and fully implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR);

⸻ review and repeal provisions that impose restrictions on freedom of movement, in particular the requirement for male residents aged between 13 and 40 to obtain a military permit if they wish to leave the country or remain abroad;

⸻ fully recognize and implement the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to conscientious objection to military service and provide for genuine and not punitive alternative civilian service.

LATVIA

Read the full report on Latvia ↷

«Connection e.V.» reported on the violations of the right to conscientious objection to military service, underage recruitment and forced conscription. The submission addressed also issue of international protection for conscientious objectors forced to leave their country of origin due to persecutions.

«Connection e.V.» listed the following recommendations:

⸻ implement the Human Rights Committee’s recommendations concerning conscientious objectors to military service;

⸻ amend legislation in order to fully recognise the right to conscientious objection to military service, in line with international human rights law and standards (A/HRC/41/23, A/HRC/50/43, A/HRC/56/30), including by:

—— introducing a genuinely civilian alternative service, compatible with the reasons for conscientious objection, in the public interest and not of a punitive character,

—— placing the assessment of applications for conscientious objector status under the full control of civilian authorities, with the body being entirely separate from the Ministry of Defence, without military participation, and having maximum independence and impartiality,

—— explicitly recognising in the domestic legislation the right to conscientious objection for professional members of the armed forces;

⸻ abolish legislation which provides for forced conscription by the Military Police of persons who do not appear for military service;

⸻ grant asylum to conscientious objectors to military service who are at risk of persecution in their country of origin owing to their refusal to perform military service when there is no provision, or no adequate provision, for conscientious objection to military service; attention should be given to conscientious objectors asylum—seekers from the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus;

⸻ ban military training involving the use of weapons for individuals under the age of 18 years, in general, and in the Youth Guard and the National Defence Course, in particular;

⸻ explicitly criminalize the recruitment, use, involvement and participation in hostilities of children (under the age of 18 years) by the armed forces and by non—State armed groups.

Keywords:    ⇒ Conscientious Objection   ⇒ International Protection   ⇒ Latvia   ⇒ Singapore   ⇒ Underage Recruitment