Advocacy at the UN and much more, June till December 2025
Reporting on Ukraine, Singapore, Russia, South Korea, Colombia, Burkina Faso...
2025
Zaira Zafarana, international advocacy coordinator of «Connection e.V.» raised the issue of conscientious objection to military service during the 59th and 60th sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. Furthermore, together with her team of researchers she submitted country—based reports to UN mechanisms for Member States reviews by treaty committees and for official reporting to the Council.
«As we witness a worldwide alarming increasing of armed conflicts, the human right to object to military service on conscience ground is constantly violated and conscientious objectors are often in danger of persecution and imprisonment and more often forced to leave their country», Zaira Zafarana emphasized. «The right to conscientious objection to military service is a human right that individuals should be able to exercise at any time. Those who object to war are actively implementing the human right to life from which no derogation should be permitted, as declared by the UN Human Rights Committee.»
Here is an overview of the statements and reports submitted within the UN system. The dedicated links lead to a webpage with the full text and additional details such as the recording of the concerned UN working session and complementary information.
59th SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ⸻
16th June 2025, Eritrea: Oral statement delivered in the plenary of the Council in Geneva during the Interactive Dialogues with the Special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea. On this occasion, Zaira Zafarana made a call for the full recognition of the human right to conscientious objection and for the protection of objectors seeking asylum abroad; she also addressed the issue of militarization of education and minors conscription. Read more ↷
26th June 2025, Belarus: Oral statement delivered in the plenary of the Council in Geneva during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Belarus. Zaira Zafarana presented the increasing militarization of the society including the educational system leading to underage exposure to militaristic trainings and did urge Belarus to respect the human right to conscientious objection to military service and the General Assembly resolution on death penalty. Read more ↷
3rd July 2025, Ukraine: Oral statement delivered in the plenary of the Council in Geneva during the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s oral update on the situation of human rights in Ukraine and the interim, report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in Crimea. Zaira Zafarana raised the concern for the forced mobilization undertaken by the Russian forces in the occupied territories in Ukraine and constant violation of the right to conscientious objection to military service. She also mentioned 3 cases of objectors awaiting from the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Read more ↷
60th SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ⸻
11th August 2025, Colombia: Written statement submitted to the UN Secretary General ahead of the 60th session of the Council, under item 3, with reference to the planned Interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non—recurrence.
The document is titled «Justice, Truth and Reparation: Reconciliation Process Underway in Colombia» and has been prepared in partnership with «War Resisters’ International» (WRI), «Peace Community of San José de Apartadó» (Comunidad de Paz de San José de Apartadó; Colombia), «Fellowship of Reconciliation Peace Presence» (FOR Peace Presence; Colombia) and «International Fellowship of Reconciliation ⸻ Austria» (IFOR Austria; Internationaler Versöhnungsbund ⸻ Österreich) sponsored.
The statement includes references to the ongoing peace process in Colombia and presents the «Peace Community of San José de Apartadó» which declared its neutrality in the Colombian armed conflict on March 23rd 1997. Read more ↷
9th September 2025, right to conscientious objection: Oral statement delivered in the plenary of the Council in Geneva during the General Debate on the oral update by the High Commissioner. Zaira Zafarana, on this occasion, expressed concern on the ongoing attempts to undermine international law and the human rights system and did stand up for conscientious objectors to military service and the full recognition of their human right to object. Read more ↷
15th September 2025, Israel, Russia and Ukraine: Side event organized by «Connection e.V.» in partnership with WRI at the UN in Geneva during the ongoing session of the Council, titled «The right to conscientious objection to military service in time of war».
The event, attended by UN officers, diplomats and representatives of NGOs, presented first hand contributions by conscientious objectors from Israel, Russia and Ukraine and a brief presentation on international standards and on the urgency to protect to conscientious objectors forced to leave their country.
This side event had a special meaning as it took place exactly 3 months from the day of the passing of «Connection e.V.» director Rudi Friedrich. Read more ↷
19th September 2025, Belarus: Oral statement delivered in the plenary of the Council in Geneva during the Interactive Dialogue with Group of Independent Experts on Belarus. Zaira Zafarana presented the case of the human rights defenders Olga Karach and then referred to the ongoing militarization of children in the country and the need for protection of objectors seeking asylum abroad. Read more ↷
22th September 2025, Russia: Oral statement delivered in the plenary of the Council in Geneva during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation. Zaira Zafarana addressed the lack of implementation of the right to conscientious objection in the country and the practice of humiliation and torture of soldiers attempting to refuse in war zones. The statement also denounced the labelling of Connection e.V. Eastern Europe Program Coordinator, Artem Klyga, as «foreign agent». Read more ↷
29th September 2025, Türkiye: Oral statement delivered in the plenary of the Council in Geneva during the General Debate on item 6 concerning the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) outcomes. Zaira Zafarana took the floor to express serious concern for the lack of recommendation to Türkiye regarding the lack of recognition of the right to conscientious objection to military service and presented the dramatic situation of «civil death» experienced in the country by objectors. The statement called on the Council to make full and timely use of the UPR mechanism to protect human rights. Read more ↷
3rd October 2025, Ukraine: Oral statement delivered in the plenary of the Council during the Interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s oral updated on the situation of human rights in Ukraine and the interim report of the Secretary—General on the situation of human rights in Crimea. On this occasion, Zaira Zafarana expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine, called on Russia for a cease fire, described violations of the right to conscientious objection and called on the Council for its protection. Read more ↷
UN UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW ⸻
July 2025, Austria and Georgia: «Connection e.V.» prepared two country based reports on Austria and Georgia for their review at the 51st session of the UPR. Austria has a punitive alternative service and does not recognize the right to conscientious objection for serving members of the armed forces. Georgia has similar issues and in addition the recruitment of minors. Read more ↷
October 2025, Latvia and Singapore: «Connection e.V.» reported to the UN on the situation of the right to conscientious objection in Latvia and Singapore ahead of their review at the 52nd session of the UPR. In Latvia there are violations to the right to conscientious objection to military service and the issue of ensuring protection to foreign conscientious objectors persecuted in their country of origin. Singapore does not recognize the right to conscientious objection to military service and presents as well the issue of underage recruitment. Read more ↷
UN TREATY COMMITTEES ⸻
June 2025, South Korea: «Connection e.V.» prepared a submission on the violations of economic, social and cultural rights of those who object to military service in the Republic of Korea and submitted it to the UN Committee on Economical, Social and Cultural rights for the review of the country which took place then in September with the participation of «Connection e.V.» to the briefing with the members of the Committee. Read more ↷
July 2025, Ukraine: «Connection e.V.» submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Committee for its 145th session, commenting the concluding observations the Committee published at the conclusion of the review of Ukraine, with a particular attention to the violations of the freedom of expression of those supporting and protecting the right to conscientious objection to military service, such as in the case of Yurii Sheliazhenko. Read more ↷
August 2025, Russian Federation: «Connection e.V.» submitted a report to the UN Committee on Economical, Social and Cultural rights for the review of Russia at its 78th session where its international advocacy coordinator presented also an oral briefing to the members of the Committee. The report raises several issues such as disproportionate forced mobilization, lack of recognition of the right to conscientious objection for volunteer/professional members of the armed forces, and also the topic of alternative employment opportunities to the military and the armaments industry. Read more ↷
November 2025, Burkina Faso: «Connection e.V.» submitted a country based report to the UN Committee on Economical, Social and Cultural rights to address concerning issues related to conscientious objection to military service and invite the Committee in its 79th session to include specific items among the list of issues which will be used for the review of the country. Read more ↷
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL REPORTING ⸻
September 2025, conscientious objectors: «Connection e.V.» submitted a report to contribute to the thematic report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to the UN Human Rights Council on «Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping, stigmatization, discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against persons, based on religion or belief» which will be presented at the UN in Geneva in March 2026. Read more ↷
EUROPEAN LEVEL ⸻
«Connection e.V.» is also engaging at the European level.
On October 16th, «Connection e.V.» participated in the OSCE «Conference on the Human Dimension» in Warsaw where organized a side event on the right to conscientious objection to military service and then taken the floor in the plenary during the session on the freedom of thought and religion. Read more ↷
On December 9th, «Connection e.V.» partnered with NGOs based in Brussels and others to run the webinar «Europe is rearming once again: is our right to conscientious objection at risk?» to present more on the right to conscientious objection and on how to advocate for it, with panellists from Turkey, Greece, Israel, Ukraine, Russia. Read more ↷
MORE INFORMATION ⸻
We regularly report on the work of «Connection e.V.» regarding international advocacy on CONNECTION e.V. ⸻ UN in GENEVA ↷
CONTACTS ⸻
Zaira Zafarana, international advocacy coordinator in «Connection e.V.»
zaira.zafarana@connection-ev.org
Keywords: ⇒ Burkina Faso ⇒ Colombia ⇒ Conscientious Objection ⇒ Eritrea ⇒ Russia ⇒ Singapore ⇒ South Korea ⇒ Ukraine ⇒ United Nations ⇒ United Nations Human Rights Council