Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Call to Eritrea to respect the human right to conscientious objection to military service

Statement given at 59th UN Human Rights Council

(16.06.2025) Connection e.V. in partnership with War Resisters International took the floor in the plenary at the opening of the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, to call for the recognition of the right to conscientious objection to military service in Eritrea.

EBCO new annual report on conscientious objection in Europe

A Call to Safeguard the Right to Refuse to Kill and Resist Wars

(06.06.2025) EBCO’s 2024 Annual Report on Conscientious Objection to Military Service in Europe is released at a time of escalating global militarisation. From the revival of conscription in Europe to the devastating impacts of ongoing wars, the protection and empowerment of conscientious objectors is more urgent than ever.

Read the full report here or browse by country.

"I believed I would find protection in Europe"

Joint Statement

(14.02.2025) On 16 February 2023, in the resolution ‘One year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine’, the EU Parliament demanded that Member States provide protection for conscientious objectors and deserters fleeing Belarus, Russia, and occupied Ukraine. However, this is not guaranteed in most Member States.

Forced to Enlist: The Impacts of Military Conscription in Southeastern Burma

Report

(12.02.2025) This report, Forced to Enlist: The Impact of Military Conscription in Southeastern Burma, will provide a detailed analysis of widespread human rights abuses perpetrated by the military, focusing specifically on the Mon, Karen, and Tanintharyi regions—areas where the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) has extensively documented the impact of these practices in Southern Burma. Among these violations, the enforcement of a forced conscription law has emerged as a brutal tool of control, primarily targeting young men and women across the country.