Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

A Right to Refuse to Kill in Myanmar?

(20.03.2024) In February 2024, the military regime ruling Myanmar announced that it was mobilizing a “People’s Military Service Law”. The law allows for the conscription of male citizens aged 18 to 35 and female citizens aged 18 to 27. The announcement has caused fear and loathing among the country’s 14 million young people and their families. Just three days later, the military regime established the Central Body for Summoning People’s Military Servants to oversee conscription, of at least 60,000 young people per year (See this ISP report for a further analysis of the new conscription law). The conscription process will reportedly be launched after the Burmese New Year in mid-April, but there are some reports that roundups of young men have already begun.

Substitute payment, denaturalisation, withdrawal and asylum

An overview

(06.02.2024) All male Turkish citizens are subject to compulsory military service, which in Turkey applies indefinitely, even though the law limits the age of military service from 20 to 41 years (Art.3a) (1). They are often unaware of the options for avoiding military service. Here we want to present the current status as of 2024. The conditions for replacement payment and deferment differ depending on whether you live in Turkey or abroad.

Digest of Movement of Conscientious Objection Russia, August 2023

(25.10.2023) Russian authorities threaten potential conscripts with criminal liability and do not have time to complete the electronic register at military offices. MCO was nominated for a Nobel Prize. Raids on migrants continue to conscript them into war.

Poland sends Ukrainians back

Excerpt from www.adnkronos.com

(06.10.2023) Poland is sending men back to Ukraine who fled the country at the start of the war and could be conscripted into the armed forces due to their age. The authorities in Warsaw have begun extraditing Ukrainian citizens liable for military service who fled the country illegally after the start of the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022.

The authorities estimate that around 80,000 people from Ukraine are not registered. "This is a significant number for Ukraine, because these people could be mobilised and reinforce the troops on the front line," said Fyodor Venislavski, spokesman for the Ukrainian president in the Verkhovna Rada.