No Means No Campaign: In Defense of the Right of Belarusians to Refuse Military Service and to Lay Down Arms

We call for the protection of the fundamental human right to freedom of thought, conscience and belief, including the right to refuse compulsory military service and participation in war… Belarus must end the coercive militarization of civilians and guarantee that no person is compelled to bear arms or participate in violence.

Petition demands

End the Militarization of Children — Immediately abolish military-patriotic clubs, cadet institutions, military summer camps and compulsory military training in schools; prohibit military structures inside civilian education.
Raise the Minimum Age of Admission to Military Schools in line with international standards and cease classifying students as members of the armed forces.
Guarantee the Universal Right to Conscientious Objection for All — including reservists and active-duty personnel, regardless of belief system or motivation.
Reform the Law on Alternative Civilian Service — introduce a notification-based system, remove all Ministry of Defence control, and ensure equality in duration, remuneration and status.
Repeal Repressive Criminal Code Articles (369.1, 289.1, 375-2) used against anti-war activists and human rights defenders.
Abolish Restrictions on Freedom of Movement under Law No. 363-3 — including exit bans and passport renewal constraints.
Create an Independent Civilian Medical Exemption Mechanism free from military oversight.
Prohibit Compulsory “Civilian Duties” under the People’s Militia Act as unlawful forced labour contrary to ILO Convention No. 29.
Criminalize the Recruitment of Belarusian Citizens into Foreign Armed Forces including formations of the Russian Federation.
Decriminalize Desertion and Assistance to Deserters — repeal Articles 445, 446 and 375-2; prohibit the misuse of Article 356 (“High Treason”) against those refusing military service.
End Employers’ Conscription-Related Obligations and financial burdens tied to military service.
Abolish the Death Penalty in All Circumstances including for desertion or treason.
Re-Accede to the First Optional Protocol to the ICCPR to restore the right of individual petition.

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Target: 50,000 signatures

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Why is this important?

Freedom of conscience is a core principle of international law. No person should be compelled to participate in war or bear arms against their will. In Belarus, however, this right has been systematically dismantled. Conscientious objection is criminalized; civilians are coerced into military structures; children are exposed to militarized education; those refusing to serve face imprisonment, exile, or persecution.

Belarusian men trapped between mobilization, repression and war increasingly seek refuge abroad. Many risk detention and forced return if their status is not recognized as protection-worthy. Without international safeguards, thousands face the real prospect of being forced into an unlawful war against Ukraine or punished as “deserters” or “traitors” for refusing to kill.

This is a human rights crisis. It concerns freedom of thought, conscience, belief, movement, labour rights and the absolute prohibition of forced labour. It also concerns regional and global peace: people must not be criminalized for refusing to participate in war.

The No Means No Campaign calls on the international community to ensure that Belarus aligns its legal and institutional framework with international standards and respects the universal right to refuse military service.

Recipients

This petition is formally addressed to:
– United Nations Human Rights Committee
– Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
– OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

Copies are sent to:
– UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus
– UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
– European Union institutions responsible for human rights policy
– Council of Europe bodies and monitoring mechanisms
– Governments of democratic states hosting Belarusian refugees