Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

PRESS RELEASE • EASING OF TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS IN UKRAINE

Söder and Linnemann Call for Actions Contrary to International Law

When Russia launched its attack, the Ukrainian government imposed an exit ban on all men between the ages of 18 and 60. Since then, leaving the country has only been possible with special permission. This constitutes a violation of the human right to freedom of movement. Since the end of August 2025, men aged 18 to 22 have been allowed to leave the country, and many are taking advantage of this opportunity ⸻ presumably including a large number of conscientious objectors.

Supreme Court disrupts Ukraine’s accession to EU by repressions for faith and pacifism

(27.10.2025) In the midst of an international scandal around the imprisonment and torture of conscientious objectors, the judges showed a little mercy to Vitalii Kryushenko without due acquittal, but did not even mention it on the court’s website, as the policy of repression for faith seems to remain unchanged. The Joint Chamber of the Cassation Criminal Court of the Supreme Court denied a cassation complaint against the sentence to a prisoner of conscience Vitaliy Kryushenko, but suspended the sentence and released him from prison with one-year probationary term.

«CONNECTION e.V.» ON TOUR ⸻ DAY 1

On Monday, October 20th, 2025, a public event took place in Vienna with Sasza Belik and Artem Klyga. It was dedicated to the topic of deserters and conscientious objectors from Russia, as well as the impact of the war between Russia and Ukraine on Europe.

Constitutional complaints of three conscientious objectors will be judged jointly

(17.10.2025) Constitutional Court of Ukraine decides whether the state have a right to deny in alternative service to those who can’t join the army because of beliefs, and whether it is legitimate to imprison people for holding fast to high standards of conscience. On 15 October 2025, the Second Senate of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine decided to consider constitutional complaints of Vitalii Alekseienko, Serhii Ivanushchenko, and Dmytro Zelinsky jointly in one constitutional proceeding. Previously, reasons to join the constitutional proceedings were pointed out in the amicus curiae brief submitted by the Director of the Institute of Peace and Law, Yurii Sheliazhenko, which the Court decided to add to the case file on 1st October.