European Bureau for Conscientious Objection urges Ukraine to pass alternative service law amid war
The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) has urged Ukraine to end the mistreatment of people who refuse military service due to their convictions. and adopt legislation guaranteeing access to alternative civilian service during wartime.
Illustrative/ Photo credit: UnsplashThe bureau expressed serious concern over Ukrainian media reports alleging that 26 people, including conscientious objector Dmytro Koval, were tortured to death while serving in the Skelya assault regiment.
“Welcoming the announced start of the official investigation, we emphasise that it is not enough to ensure accountability of perpetrators responsible for the torture of conscientious objectors in this and other cases. Ukraine must prevent the repetition of such incidents by changing its current policy of attempts to violently force individuals to change their religion of belief incompatible with service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, contrary to Articles 7 and 18 (2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that should be fully respected in time of war and cannot be derogated,” the statement reads.
EBCO noted that Ukraine failed to fulfil its commitment under the Rule of Law Roadmap to adopt legislation on alternative civilian service during wartime by the second quarter of 2026. The bureau also expressed regret that the commitment was limited to protecting religious conscientious objectors, while discriminating against non-religious pacifists.
“We are concerned that the inaccurate draft law discussed at the closed-doors meeting of officials without civil society under the title “Discussion of expediency of introducing a mechanism of conducting alternative (nonmilitary) service in conditions of martial law” in the Office of President of Ukraine on 17 February 2026 was restrictive and discriminatory, not compliant with international standards, and in the end even in this crippled form did not reached a stage of approval by the Government, not to say adoption by the Parliament.”
The bureau also said Ukraine’s failure to meet its commitments stems from the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff’s “categorical position” requiring conscientious objectors to perform “alternative” service in non-combat military positions. According to EBCO, this contradicts the religious beliefs of a significant number of Ukrainian conscientious objectors.
Last year, courts sentenced more than 100 conscientious objectors to prison, while thousands are being forcibly held in military units. Reports of punishment for conscientious objection, arbitrary detention and violence have been documented by Ukraine’s ombudsman, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine and other human rights bodies, EBCO said.
The European Commission’s 2025 Enlargement Report states that Ukraine must establish safeguards to protect individuals from criminal prosecution for conscientious objection, taking into account the Venice Commission’s amicus curiae opinion adopted in March 2025. In his Memorandum on the Human Rights Aspects of Peace in Ukraine, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty recommended that Ukraine comply with international standards protecting the right to conscientious objection and stressed that Ukrainian authorities should establish a mechanism to prevent human rights violations during mobilisation.
EBCO called on Ukraine to:
- immediately end arbitrary detention, torture and the mistreatment of conscientious objectors;
- release imprisoned conscientious objectors and other prisoners of conscience;
- adopt legislation guaranteeing genuinely civilian alternative service during martial law in line with international standards;
- fully implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission, UN human rights mechanisms and Council of Europe bodies.
ZMINA previously reported that more than 1,000 criminal cases have been opened against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ukraine for refusing military service during mobilisation.
Earlier, EBCO also called for the immediate release of imprisoned Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ukraine.
In October 2025, Ukraine’s Supreme Court ruled that individuals cannot refuse military service during mobilisation on religious grounds. However, people whose religious beliefs prohibit the use of weapons may serve in unarmed roles.
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