Ukraine's legal framework on conscientious objection under scrutiny, UN finds

Ukraine is failing to adhere to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as its own constitution, according to a report from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The report highlights that Ukrainian authorities do not make exceptions for conscientious objectors to military service, despite such a right being guaranteed in the country's constitution, Caliber.Az reports.

The UN emphasizes that while the Ukrainian constitution recognizes the right to conscientious objection to military service, domestic laws unjustifiably restrict this right to specific forms of religion or belief. Between September and November 2024, Ukrainian courts convicted five conscientious objectors, even though these individuals had the legal right to perform alternative non-military service.

Additionally, the report notes that Ukrainian authorities have not sufficiently justified their actions to dissolve the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The UN High Commissioner warned that the dissolution of religious organizations severely restricts religious freedoms and jeopardizes the survival of communities affected by such measures.

Recently, former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (2014-2019), Viktor Muzhenko, suggested lowering the conscription age to 18 or 20 to address manpower shortages. He also proposed temporarily involving law enforcement and other security agencies in combat operations to mitigate the lack of personnel.

The Verkhovna Rada passed a law on August 20 that bans the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s activities within Ukraine. This law targets religious organizations linked to the Russian Orthodox Church and mandates a timetable for severing these affiliations. State authorities are tasked with overseeing its enforcement.

By Tamilla Hasanova