Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Ukraines Supreme Court: Religious belief does not exempt citizens from military service during wartime

(01.05.2025) Ukraine’s Supreme Court ruled that citizens cannot refuse military service during wartime based on religious beliefs, emphasizing that the obligation to defend the nation applies to all Ukrainians during Russia’s full-scale invasion, the court’s press office said on May 1.

Connection e.V. presents analysis: Federal High Court attacks basic right to conscientious objection

(12.03.2025) On January 16, 2025, the German Federal High Court (BGH) issued a decision on the question of whether a Ukrainian citizen could be extradited even though he had declared that he is a conscientious objector, and Ukraine had suspended the right to conscientious objection in the event of war. Today, Connection e.V. presented an analysis of the BGH decision and concludes that the BGH failed to take into account key aspects of the decision.

Federal Court of Justice attacks basic right to conscientious objection

An analysis of the decision of the court

(12.03.2025) Connection e.V. presents an analysis of the decision of the German Federal High Court (BGH) issued January 16, 2025. The BGH defined whether a Ukrainian citizen may be extradited even though he has declared that he is a conscientious objector and Ukraine has suspended the right to conscientious objection at the beginning of war. In Ukraine, the conscientious objector is therefore threatened with conscription into the war and, if he refuses, years in prison.

Russian objectors: Two remarkable court rulings raise hope

(03.02.2025) A few days ago, the Berlin Administrative Court issued two rulings granting subsidiary protection to Russian conscripts. By doing so, the Administrative Court challenged a landmark decision issued by the OVG Berlin-Brandenburg in November. "This is a truly remarkable development. It has been recognized that Russian conscripts are indeed at risk of being recruited into the Russian army to fight in the war in Ukraine," explained Rudi Friedrich, Executive Director of Connection e.V., today. "This protection must now be extended to Russian conscientious objectors who can be called up as reservists."