A Norwegian organization that seeks to promote freedom of religion and belief has documented a number of cases of Christian conscientious objectors being imprisoned by Ukrainian authorities.
Forum 18 looked at the case of Serhy Semchuk, a married man in his early-thirties from the village of Brody in the western Lviv Region. Semchuk has been a member of a Baptist church that preaches against the use of violence since 2012.
In December 2022, Semchuk was mobilized but told the Recruitment Office that, while he was willing to do his duty and serve in the military, he was not prepared to use weapons due to his faith. The recruitment office agreed to this and assigned him to his unit, says Forum 18.
A year later Semchek was ordered, with other members of his unit, to arm themselves with machine guns. After refusing to carry out the order, Semchek was detained, although he was released on bail pending a trial, which took place in May 2024.
Charged with “Disobedience committed under martial law or in a combat situation”, Semchek was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison. Semchek appealed the sentence in September 2024, however it was upheld. This was despite the verdict of the Appeal Court, released last month, stating the following: "The panel of judges considers it necessary to note that the call-up of Serhy Nechayuk to military service upon mobilisation does not mean that he was automatically obliged to take up arms, because given his religious beliefs and constitutional duty to defend the Fatherland during his service, he could have been involved in repairing equipment, building fortifications, transporting the wounded, transporting cargo, or performing any other functions not related to the use of weapons."
At the end of January, Ukrainian officials took Semchek from his workplace so that he could begin serving his sentence.
Ukraine’s Supreme Court has refused to hear a further appeal on Semchek’s case. A member of Semchek’s church told Forum 18, "We're in such shock that this happened … He doesn't want to kill. We support his and our church's position – we have this teaching."
According to Forum 18, a number of other Christians and Jehovah’s Witnesses are currently being imprisoned in Ukraine under similar circumstances.
