In his annual report, Ukrainian parliamentary ombudsman Lubinets put forward an important initiative regarding people's rights in the context of martial law. He calls for the right to alternative, non-military service to persons who, because of their religious beliefs, refuse to participate in hostilities.
This is stated in his annual report on the state of observance of human rights and freedoms in Ukraine.
Lubinets noted that the leaders of such religious organizations as the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Religious Center of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Evangelical Christian Baptists and others have addressed him more than once with such an appeal.
"The issue concerns the violation of the rights of members of religious communities by representatives of the TCC and SP, who refuse to take into account the beliefs of laymen and clergy of religious organizations, whose creed does not allow the use of weapons, their arguments in favor of alternative service and raise the issue of bringing believers to justice for evading the draft during mobilization", Lubinets writes.
The military commissions explain that currently, according to the law, religious beliefs are not exempted from military operations during martial law.
The commissioner raised the issue before the committee of the Verkhovna Rada, it is being processed in the government. Lubinets recommends that the Council change the law, allowing alternative service.
By its resolution, the Parliament decided to take note of the ombudsman's recommendations and instructed the Cabinet to process them.
We will remind you that a corresponding petition appeared earlier.
