Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Russia: Overview of the 2024 Fall Conscription

Rights Violations and Resistance

We have compiled an overview of conscript rights violations that we learned about from appeals to ’Call to Conscience,’ the ’School of the Conscript’ organization, the Conscious Objectors Movement, and partially from the media. We provide examples of arbitrariness, explain how practices are changing and what this might lead to, compare it with the spring draft, and describe how people have defended their rights.

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."

Clear Demand for Asylum in the Face of a Refusal of Aggressive Warfare

(18.11.2024) Since February 2022, approximately 5,400 Russian men aged between 18 and 45 have applied for asylum in Germany. Only a small fraction of these applications has been granted. These individuals are fleeing an unlawful military deployment and therefore should receive protection against potential persecution.

Advocacy at the UN and much more, July till October 2024

Reporting on Bolivia, Greece, Turkey, Kyrgysztan and other countries

(06.11.2024) Zaira Zafarana, international advocacy coordinator of Connection e.V. raised the issue of conscientious objection to military service in different countries during the 57^th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. She took the floor in the plenary of the Council on several occasions. Furthermore, she submitted country-based reports to UN mechanisms for upcoming reviews and reporting to the council.