Inter­na­tio­nal Support of Conscien­tious Objec­tors and Deserters

Eritrea: Crackdown on Draft Evaders’ Families

Collective Punishment Over Forced Conscription Campaign

(09.02.2023) The Eritrean government has in recent months punished relatives of thousands of alleged draft evaders as part of an intensive forced conscription campaign, Human Rights Watch said today.Eritrean security forces have been heavily involved in operations in support of the Ethiopian government since the outbreak of conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region in November 2020, and have carried out some of the conflict’s worst abuses. Eritrean authorities have conducted waves of roundups in Eritrea to identify people it considers draft evaders or deserters.

Ukraine: Drop all charges against Vitaly Alekseenko immediately

Conscientious objector goes to prison

(18.01.2023) In Ukraine, on 16 January 2023, Ivano-Frankivsk Appeal Court rejected the appeal of 46-year-old Christian Vitaly Alekseenko against his conviction for refusing call up to the military on conscientious grounds. "I told the court I agree that I have broken the law of Ukraine," Alekseenko told Forum 18, "but I am not guilty under the law of God." When he gets the written verdict, which he expects on 19 January, the one-year imprisonment sentence will go into force and he expects to be taken to prison immediately afterwards.

The Israeli military imprisoned me for 10 days for staying true to my moral compass

(23.10.2022) Sliman Abu Ruken, a 19 years old Druze enlistment refuser, had spent 10 days in military prison. With support by the Mesarvot network he received his military exemption three weeks ago. This is his statement:

Israel: Conscientious Objector jailed for 10 days

(19.08.2022) An IDF disciplinary body sentenced 18-year-old Israeli conscientious objector Shahar Schwartz to 10 days in military prison on Monday over his refusal to serve in the army. Schwartz, who graduated from high school this year, was jailed after appearing before the IDF’s conscientious objectors committee where he declared his intention to refuse service due to Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians.