Baptist in Ternopil region sentenced to 3 years for evading military service

Illustrative photo: 18000.com

In Ternopil region, a member of the religious organization Local Church of Evangelical Christian Baptists was sentenced to three years in prison for evading mobilization. According to the ruling of the Kremenets District Court, the man refused military service on religious grounds, Gazeta-misto reports.

The court found him guilty under Article 336 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine of evading conscription for military service during mobilization. The court established that the man, being liable for military service and fit for duty, refused mobilization because of his religious convictions.

During the hearing, the man pleaded not guilty. He said he had been a member of the Local Church of Evangelical Christian Baptists since 2014.

He stated that he had repeatedly shown TCC officials documents confirming his membership in a religious organization whose teachings prohibit the use of weapons. He said he wanted to perform alternative service, but officials ignored his requests and told him that such documents were not applicable.

A lawyer from the Territorial Recruitment Center testified at the hearing: “The defendant submitted an application asking to replace military service with alternative service. However, alternative service is available only as a substitute for compulsory non-military service, while the country is currently at war. A written response was sent to him by mail, but the envelope was returned.”

The court ruling states that Ukrainian law does not provide for replacing military service during mobilization in a special period with alternative service.

The verdict may be appealed within thirty days of the date it was issued.

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