European Bureau for Conscientious Objection

MAY 15^TH 2025, INTERNATIONAL CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION DAY − Social media initiative

May 15th is International Day of Conscientious Objection to Military Service. Several organizations worldwide are planning initiatives to support this human right and to stand in solidarity with those who refuse to kill and engage in wars and are for this reason persecuted, criminalized and jailed.

7 April 2025

The International Centre for Civil Initiatives “Our House”, Conscience and Peace Tax International (CPTI), the Center on Conscience & War, the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO), the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Fellowship of Reconciliation USA (FORUSA), the International Fellowship of Reconciliation Austria, MIR France, the International Peace Bureau, World BEYOND War, and War Resisters’ International, jointly submit a report for the UN Universal Periodic Review of Belarus.

On 16 February 2023, in the resolution ‘One year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine’, the EU Parliament demanded that Member States provide protection for conscientious objectors and deserters fleeing Belarus, Russia and occupied Ukraine. However, this is not guaranteed in most Member States.

With very few exceptions, Russians refusing to fight in Ukraine are finding it impossible to get humanitarian visas from EU Member State embassies in places like Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia where they can travel without an international passport [...]

They are under threat of deportation by Lithuania to Belarus

(29.07.2024) Lithuania should protect Belarusian conscientious objectors and deserters, grant adequate legal protection and prevent their deportation!

Eighteen years after the European Court of Human Rights issued its first judgment in favour of conscientious objector Osman Murat Ülke, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe added a new one to its interim decisions on violations of the right to conscientious objection in Turkey.

Belarus must stop prosecuting peace activists and conscientious objectors!

9 July 2024

7 June 2024

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

Third (!) imprisonment of Turkish-Cypriot reservist conscientious objector Halil Karapaşaoğlu totally unacceptable

5 June 2024

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

Stop the raids and detention of conscripts in Moscow

3 June 2024

EBCO PRESS RELEASE

WAR IN EUROPE: WHAT IS HAPPENING TO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS?

EBCO PRESS CONFERENCE INVITATION

WAR IN EUROPE: WHAT IS HAPPENING TO CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS?

Publication of EBCO Annual Report “Conscientious Objection to Military Service in Europe 2023/24” on May 15^th, international conscientious objection day