Jehovah’s Witness sentenced to prison for refusing military service
A court sentenced a Jehovah’s Witness to prison for refusing to fight. Photo: UKR.NET
The Horodok District Court of the Lviv region has sentenced a 49-year-old coordinator of a Jehovah’s Witness congregation to three years in prison for refusing mobilization on religious grounds. This was reported by zaxid.net.
The man underwent a medical examination in June 2024 and was declared fit for military service. After receiving his draft notice, he failed to report to the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TRC), explaining that his faith forbids him from taking up arms.
“I coordinate the activities of the congregation, oversee its practical needs, and assist in organizing meetings,” the defendant told the court. “My beliefs do not allow me to take part in war.”
The believer sought to officially replace military service with alternative civilian service and submitted a request to the Social Protection Department of the Lviv Regional State Administration. Officials rejected his application, stating that Ukrainian legislation does not provide for alternative service during martial law.
The court sided with the prosecution, citing the position of the Supreme Court that religious beliefs do not exempt a person from criminal liability for evading military service during wartime. Even the fact that in 2025 the man became the legal caregiver for his seriously ill mother and was granted a lawful deferment did not affect the court’s decision.
As the UOJ reported, since the start of the war, 16 Jehovah’s Witnesses have been sentenced to prison for refusing military service.
Read also
OCU journalist calls activists’ antics at UOC court hearings a circus
OCU religious commentator Tetiana Derkach said that radical activists’ protests at UOC court hearings have nothing to do with Orthodoxy.
“Patriarch” Nikodym establishes UOC-KP eparchy in Philippines
The UOC-KP head has authorized communities in the Philippines to hold “services” according to both the Byzantine and Latin rites.
Dumenko: Even Jews say Ukraine has religious freedom
The OCU head cited unnamed Jewish representatives in claiming that Ukraine enjoys greater religious freedom than Europe and that the UOC faces no persecution.
Dumenko: UOC provokes communities into seizing their own churches
The OCU head claimed that UOC communities allegedly try to “seize their own churches” during jurisdictional transfers, dismissing believers’ resistance as a provocation orchestrated by Moscow.
LGBT group praises Zelensky for support, calls for further action
LGBT military personnel welcomed the new National Human Rights Strategy but said it does not go far enough, urging Parliament to pass legislation on civil partnerships.
Ukrainian sued over donations to UOC church in Zinkiv
A Poltava region resident has filed a lawsuit seeking to have donations to a UOC church declared illegal.