Today, December 15th, at the UN in Geneva Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif presented the findings of the latest OHCHR periodic report on the situation of human rights in Ukraine.
During the interactive dialogue several countries took the floor, followed by representatives of the civil society.
The main representative of IFOR at the UN in Geneva delivered a statement concerning the right to conscientious objection to military service in the country, forced enlisting and other related issues.
Human Rights Council
Geneva, 15th December 2021
Interactive dialogue on the oral presentation by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the findings of the latest OHCHR periodic report on the situation of human rights in Ukraine (HRC res. 41/25)
Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Madam President,
International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) thanks the High Commissioner and her office for the oral presentation on Ukraine.
IFOR is concerned about violations of the right to conscientious objection reported on the ground.
The local media recently reported the case of the young Vladyslav Korol who expressed his conscientious objection for religious reasons and was eventually transferred to military service as a military recruit.1
Another case concerns two players of the Ukrainian national handball team Ruslan Diyakon and Dmitry Kovalenko detained by representatives of the police and District Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support.2
The Human Rights Committee, in its concluding observation on the 8th periodic report of Ukraine, stated that "The State party should ensure that abductions and arbitrary detention of conscripts are promptly, thoroughly, and independently investigated, [that perpetrators are prosecuted and punished and that victims are provided with effective remedies, including adequate compensation.]"3
We would also like to continue to draw the attention4to the case of the Ukrainian journalist and pacifist Ruslan Kotsaba who is under trial5 because of a video posted in 2015 to express opposition to the military mobilization for armed conflict in eastern Ukraine6. He has already spent over 500 days under arrest and has been victim of assaults7 by haters for whom there is still impunity.
“Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a non-derogable right”, alike freedom of expression, “and it continues to apply regardless of a situation of armed conflict.”
Thank you.
Click here to download the original statement
You can watch the session here -IFOR statement is at 01:05:13-
The situation of the right to conscientious objection in Ukraine is critical and there are other relevant issues concerning military service and young conscripts.
You can read here the report prepared by IFOR for the review of Ukraine at the 133rd session of the UN Human Rights Committee, which took place in October 2021.
