Yurii Sheliazhenko
Roots Action & World Beyond War via IPB

CO Yurii Sheliazhenko

Conscientious objector of Russian war in Ukraine prosecuted by the Ukraine government. Support his freedom and wellbeing. IPB council member

Yurii Sheliazhenko - A man with long hair and glasses gestures while speaking, wearing a red sweatshirt that reads "War Sucks," in front of various peace-related posters.
Roots Action & World Beyond War via IPB

Yurii Sheliazhenko is a prominent Ukrainian peace activist, legal scholar, and the executive secretary of the

Ukrainian Pacifist Movement. He is internationally recognized for his advocacy of the right to conscientious objection to military service and serves on the boards of both the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) and World BEYOND War.

Current Status (March 2026)

  • Detention: On March 19, 2026, Sheliazhenko was reportedly apprehended by Pechersk District Police in Kyiv.
  • Military Custody: Human rights organizations, including Quakers in Britain and War Resisters' International, report that he was forcibly seized and is currently being held by the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TCC), a military conscription authority.
  • Legal Concerns: Supporters describe his detention as unlawful, noting it was carried out without a clear legal basis and with obstructed access to legal counsel.

Legal Prosecution and Persecution

Since the 2022 Russian invasion, Sheliazhenko has faced significant pressure from Ukrainian authorities:

  • Criminal Charges: He is charged under Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for allegedly "justifying Russian aggression". The evidence cited is a document he wrote titled "Peace Agenda for Ukraine and the World,"which ironically condemns the invasion while calling for a peaceful resolution.
  • Potential Sentence: If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and the confiscation of his property.
  • Forced Mobilization: Since late 2025, there has been an increased effort to forcibly conscript him despite his status as a long-standing conscientious objector since 1998.

International Response

Global human rights groups like Amnesty International and the International Peace Bureau (IPB) have called for his immediate release. They emphasize that the right to conscientious objection is a non-derogable human right under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which remains valid even during wartime.

Author: Dr. Norbert Stute with the help of Google Gemini, Date: 21.03.26

Work in progress. Suggestions and collaboration welcome.