Ukraine: those who refuse to go to war will go to prison

the right to conscientious objection is recognised internationally as an extension of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. The main norms include Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), Article 9 of the ECHR, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), particularly protecting the refusal of military service.

But in Ukraine, the right to conscientious objection is not recognised during martial law. 

According to the official website of the Jehovah's Witnesses, as of May 2026, there are "24 brothers in prison" in Ukraine for conscientious objection. Here is an updated overview of the most recent convictions, which have seen an impressive acceleration.

These cases are just the tip of the iceberg: criminal proceedings against Jehovah's Witnesses have risen from 15 in August 2024 to 357 in February 2026, while the Ukrainian Supreme Court has ruled that the Constitution does not provide an absolute right to exemption from military service for religious reasons, closing the door on many appeals.

A rare acquittal occurred on 16 January 2026, when a 47-year-old man from Obukhiv, a Jehovah's Witness for over 25 years, was acquitted for religious reasons. The court cited Article 35 of the Ukrainian Constitution, which allows exemption from conscription for religious reasons. However, he was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment commuted to one year of supervised release on the grounds that the Armed Forces offer many non-combat roles that he could have performed.

The case of Yurii Sheliazhenko: pacifist under attack

Perhaps the most striking case of repression is that of Yurii Sheliazhenko, executive secretary of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement (a member of War Resisters International), a Quaker and declared conscientious objector since 1998. Previously reported, he was the subject of a brutal assault.

On 19 March 2026 he was arbitrarily arrested on the street in Kyiv and taken to the Pechersk Territorial Recruitment Centre. According to his testimony, during detention he was sprayed with pepper spray, punched in the face, kicked, and dragged by his hair. He was denied access to a lawyer and contact with his family for over 44 hours. Released on 22 March, his release was preceded by a wide international campaign in his support. Following the incident, numerous international organisations, including the International Peace Bureau, have called for an investigation and an end to the persecution of conscientious objectors.

Two million wanted men evade the war in Ukraine

In January 2026, the Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov revealed impressive data: approximately 2 million men are wanted for draft evasion, and 200,000 soldiers are officially absent without leave (AWOL). Furthermore, the average age of those mobilised is rising and is now around 45 years.

The authorities have discovered and dismantled numerous large-scale illegal "schemes" to help conscripts evade military service, with sums ranging from 2,500 to 20,000 dollars, often involving doctors, lawyers, and even military officials. Only in May 2026, 7 new fraud schemes were uncovered, including an operation involving 200,000 euros in false disability certificates involving a network of doctors from Zaporizhzhia.

The scale of the phenomenon is such that the Prosecutor General has initiated 290,000 criminal proceedings for offences related to evasion. Prosecutors have reported a collapse of the entire judicial system, with courts unable to process such a high number of cases.

Ceasefire and negotiation prospects

On 8 May 2026, there was a three-day ceasefire (9-11 May) between Russia and Ukraine, accompanied by a prisoner exchange of 1,000 men on each side. However, despite the announcements, fighting continued. On 10 May, Russian forces launched 60 attacks, while the following day 180 clashes were recorded. 

Today, military operations have resumed as before, with Russia launching an air attack. Russian forces indeed launched dozens of drones against Kyiv at the expiration of the three-day ceasefire mediated by American President Donald Trump.