Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Russia – No legal provision for alternative civilian service during mobilisation

(19.12.2022) In Zeiten der Mobilisierung gibt es keine rechtlichen oder praktischen Regelungen für den Alternativen Dienst, obwohl die Verfassung dieses Recht allen Bürgern garantiert. Das hat dazu geführt, dass die Rekrutierungsbüros Anträge auf Alternativen Dienst ablehnen und Kriegsdienstverweigerer zu Militäreinheiten schicken. Darüber hinaus ermöglicht eine Gesetzesänderung vom November 2022, dass Personen, die sich bereits im Alternativen Dienst befinden, innerhalb der Streitkräfte in einem unbewaffneten Dienst eingesetzt werden können. „Mit dieser Gesetzesänderung wird der Alternative Dienst als Alternative zum Militärdienst während einer Mobilisierung faktisch abgeschafft“, so die Anwältin Valeriya Vetoshkina.

European Parliament resolution on Russia’s escalation of its war of aggression against Ukraine

(05.10.2022) Condemns the mobilisation in Russia, and calls for an immediate end to involuntary conscription; condemns the measures compelling residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to serve in Russia’s armed or auxiliary forces, which is forbidden under the Fourth Geneva Convention; strongly appeals to all Russian people to avoid being dragged into this war, which violates international law and was therefore condemned by a large majority of countries.

Desertion in order to not participate in war

Numbers for Russia, Belarus and Ukraine

(02.10.2022) We know that thousands of military conscripts have fled Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.But it is not possible to obtain accurate numbers on desertion, conscientious objection to military service and military draft evasion in these countries. No statistics record how many there really are. Therefore, at this point we can only try to estimate those numbers.

Refuseniks from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine say no to war

(29.09.2022) On the occasion of Refugee Day on 30 September, PRO ASYL and Connection e.V. present voices of conscientious objectors from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. All of them are threatened with criminal proceedings in their countries of origin and need protection from persecution. The German government is to make generous use of their options to grant humanitarian visas.