In Volyn, Jehovah's Witness minister convicted for refusing to serve in AFU
Liuboml District Court. Photo: court's website
The Liuboml District Court sentenced a Jehovah's Witness minister to two years in prison for refusing to accept a draft notice and failing to appear at the conscription point. This was reported by the official website of the court. The man's actions were qualified under Article 336 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (evasion of conscription for military service during mobilization).
The minister did not plead guilty. According to a letter from the RO "Religious Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Ukraine", the accused has been a minister since 1994, and therefore military service is unacceptable for him.
The case materials indicate that Ukraine introduced alternatives to military service in peacetime, but in wartime, the state "relies on all citizens of Ukraine, regardless of their religious beliefs".
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the court sent a Jehovah's Witness to prison for leaving a military unit without permission.
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