Jehovah’s witness pastor sentenced in Lviv region for refusing TRC service

Court. Illustrative photo: open sources

In February 2026, the Stryi City District Court in Lviv region sentenced a native of Melitopol, Hennadiy B., to five years’ imprisonment after he refused, for religious reasons, to perform service duties at a TRC. The ruling was reported by ZAXID.NET.

According to the case materials, the man was mobilized in February 2025. One week after being called up, he left his military unit without permission and remained absent from service until June 2025.

In court, Hennadiy B. did not plead guilty. He said he had previously filed an application for alternative service; however, following a military medical commission, he was deemed fit for military duty and assigned to a unit in Chernihiv region. He was later transferred to a district TRC, where he was expected to work as a cook in the canteen. The defendant stated that he refused to take the military oath or wear a uniform, after which he left his place of service.

During the hearing, he also said that since 2010 he has been a minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which, he claimed, is confirmed by a certificate issued by the denomination’s religious center. According to him, performing the duties of a serviceman contradicts his faith. The judge found him guilty of unauthorized absence from his unit and imposed a sentence of five years’ imprisonment. The verdict has not yet entered into legal force and may be appealed.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Odesa region, a Jehovah’s Witness was sentenced to three years for evading service.

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