Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Hundreds of Israeli soldiers refuse to serve in Gaza

Newsletter of the Refuser Solidarity Network (RSN)

(22.09.2024) In the past few weeks we are seeing an unprecedented wave, hundreds of soldiers that are refusing the war in Gaza. Such waves ended Israeli wars against the Palestinians at least twice in the past.

Oral statement on the human rights of conscientious objectors and to conscientious objection and asylum

UN Human Rights Council, 57th Session

(20.09.2024) This morning, Zaira Zafarana, Connection’s international advocacy coordinator, delivered an oral statement on behalf of WRI and Connection e.V. in the plenary of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva during the General Debate on Item 3: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. She focused on the human right of conscientious objection to military service and specifically on the OHCHR thematic report presented to the Council during the last session and on the UNHCR Guidelines on International protection which clarify that conscientious objectors who are at risk of persecutions in their country of origin qualify for refugee status.

Human Rights Violations Concerning Mobilization in the Ukrainian Territory

(26.08.2024) Together with its international partner Connection e.V. and local partner Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, WRI expresses serious concern about the violation of the human right to conscientious objection to military service in Ukraine. The organisations are deeply concerned about the ongoing war of aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine and the forced mobilization in the occupied territories.

Armenia: Conscientious objector begins two-year jail term

(20.08.2024) On 20 August, Yerevan police took 21-year-old Baptist conscientious objector Davit Nazaretyan to the city’s Nubarashen Prison to begin his two-year jail term for refusing military service on grounds of conscience. Nina Karapetyants of the Helsinki Association for Human Rights described Nubarashen as "the worst prison" in Armenia. "There are no proper conditions for exercise or for taking a shower." The office of Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan did not respond to questions on what it might do to defend Nazaretyan’s rights.