Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

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.

Protection for Belarusian conscientious objectors like Vitali Dvarashyn and Mikita Sviryd

They are under threat of deportation by Lithuania to Belarus

(29.07.2024) Lithuania should protect Belarusian conscientious objectors and deserters, grant adequate legal protection and prevent their deportation!

The undersigned organizations are genuinely concerned by the threat of the Lithuanian authorities to immediately deport the Belarusian conscientious objector Vitali Dvarashyn and deserter Mikita Sviryd to Belarus where they are at risk of persecution, imprisonment, and death penalty. We demand immediate action from the Lithuanian authorities to prevent the deportation of conscientious objectors back to Belarus and grant asylum in Lithuania where they have been seeking protection.

Advocacy Newsletter

June 2024

(22.07.2024) Friends, hello everyone! This is Artem Klyga from the Movement of Conscientious Objectors. The FSB, the Russian special service, is very eager to recruit conscripts into their service on their own. To do this, they are making changes to the bylaws. Starting in September, Russian schools will have a lesson with elements of military training, which could negatively affect conscientious objectors to military service. Good news from South Korea: they have granted asylum to the first conscientious objector from Russia. And some good news from Russia: we received some positive decisions from the Russian court. Enjoy reading!

Vitali Dvarashyn: The Story of how a Belarusian conscientious objector

Being caught in the millstones of two state systems in Lithuania and in Belarus

(16.07.2024) Some time ago, Lithuania claimed to be a safe democratic country, which in 2020 clearly declared its desire to save repressed Belarusians from the wrath of a mad dictator Alexander Lukashenko. But then it changed its mind. Vitali Dvarashyn is one of Belarusian conscientious objector to military service whom Lithuania decided to persecute and continues to hound, and it’s unclear how it will all end.