International solidarity with draft and military resisters
[Poster by Carlos A. Cortez for the IWW, c. 1965]
This site is primarily about the draft (military conscription or compulsory military service) and draft resistance in the USA. But we support and stand in solidarity with all draft and military resisters, deserters, exiles, and asylum seekers around the world, including those in and from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Israel.
We support all nonviolent forms of draft and military resistance and evasion of conscription, in the USA and around the world.
Note that you may be subject to military conscription in any country in which you reside or of which you are a citizen. Dual or multiple citizens, or people living outside the country of their citizenship, may be subject to the draft in more than one country. This has often been a source of resistance and international conflict, in the U.S. and other countries. One of the causes of the War of 1812 between the U.S. and the U.K., for example, was that the U.K. considered men born in the U.K., but who had become U.S., citizens, still to be U.K. citizens and subject for life to British military conscription, including snatching by British Navy “press gangs”. A 1930 treaty to which the U.S. is a party limits the liability of dual citizens to being drafted in more than one country, in certain cases, but many countries aren’t parties to this treaty.
Almost all young men who either live in the U.S. (even if they have only non-U.S. citizenship) or have U.S. citizenship (including U.S. citizens residing abroad, and including dual or multiple citizerns of the U.S. and other countries) are required by U.S. law to register with the U.S. Selective Service System. See this information about the U.S. draft for immigrants and foreigners in the U.S.
We welcome suggestions of additional resources, especially for counseling and/or legal assistance for draft and military resisters in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Israel.
Советы призывникам в России, Украине и Белоруссии
(advice for draftees/conscripts in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus)
International campaigns for asylum for draft and military resisters and deserters from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus:
We advocate for asylum for all draft and military resisters. But be warned: Many draft resisters from Russia seeking asylum in the USA have had their asylum claims denied, or have been detained for many months, under difficult conditions, while their claims were being considered, as discussed in this article in the New York Times.
Draft registration and the system of conscription in Russia:
Conscription in Ukraine:
News about asylum for draft resisters from Russia and Ukraine:
Draft resistance in Israel:
- Mesarvot - refusing to serve the occupation (“Mesarvot is a refuser support network connecting different initiatives & refusal groups for joint action against the Israeli occupation.”)
- New Profile (“New Profile is a feminist movement which opposes militarism…. by counseling Israeli refusers and those independently choosing to seek exemption…. The Counseling Network supports individuals who independently choose to avoid or discontinue service in the Israeli military…. It provides them free counseling, information, and legal aid.” Web site and services in Hebrew, English, and Russian.)
- ‘Israeli teen jailed for refusing draft: ‘I’m willing to pay a price for my principles’ (interview with Ben Arad by Oren Ziv, 972 Magazine, 5 April 2024)
- Israel’s Conscientious Objectors Stand on the Shoulders of Giants (Ariel Gold, International Fellowship of Reconciliation, 22 March 2024)
- Meet the Israeli “traitors” standing against the war in Gaza (Channel 4 News, UK, 19 March 2024)
- Video: Statement by Sofia Orr on refusing military enlistment (by Oren Ziv, 972 Magazine, 25 February 2024)
- Israeli teen jailed for draft refusal (interview with Sofia Orr by Oren Ziv, 972 Magazine, 26 February 2024; video)
- “I’m 18 — and facing jail because I won’t fight for Israel” (interview with Sofia Orr by Katie Tarrant, The Times (London), 24 February 2024)
- Israel’s ‘refuseniks’: Meet the conscientious objectors refusing military service (FRANCE 24 English, 25 January 2024)
- What are the costs of refusing to join the Israeli military? (Interviews with Al Jazeera English, 23 January 2024)
- Israeli conscientious objector says she refuses to be part of ‘endless cycle of bloodshed’ (Al Jazeera English interview with Sofia Orr, December 2023)
- Why Israeli army refusers are crucial to ending the cycle of violence (interview with Ariel Davidov by Eleftheria Kousta, Waging Nonviolence, 9 January 2024)
- “There is no military solution — a statement of refusal” (by Tal Mitnick, imprisoned starting 26 December 2023 for refusing to “serve” in the Israeli military; re-imprisoned after initial court-martial sentence and could be recalled and re-imprisoned indefinitely)
- ‘More killing won’t bring back lost lives’: Tal Mitnick, 18, on going to prison instead of joining IDF (by Michael Sgalov, The Guardian, 23 January 2024)
- Meet Tal Mitnick, First Israeli Jailed for Refusing Military Service in “Revenge War” on Gaza (Democracy Now, 20 January 2024)
- Israeli Refuseniks Forsake Army Despite Post-October 7 Nationalist Frenzy (by Prem Thakker, The Intercept, 8 January 2024)
- ‘I refuse to take part in a revenge war’: Israel jails teen for opposing army draft (by Oren Ziv, 972 Magazine, 28 December 2023)
- Israeli Draft Resister Tal Mitnick Is a Hero (by Ben Burgis, Jacobin, 28 December 2023)
- Israeli teen jailed for refusing to serve in IDF over opposition to war in Gaza (by Brishti Basu, CBC, 29 December 2023)
- A Gen Z Israeli explained why he’s refusing to fight Hamas. Now Israel has sent him to military prison. (by Grace Eliza Goodwin and Joshua Zitser, Business Insider, 28 December 2023)
- First Israeli Conscientious Objector of the Gaza War Is Jailed: ‘I Know It’s the Right Thing’ (by Linda Dayan, Haaretz, 27 December 2023)
- Israeli teen jailed for refusing IDF service, cites war with Hamas in Gaza (by Joanie Margulies, Jerusalem Post, 27 December 2023)
- Video: Interview With Israeli Refusing to Serve in IDF (Novara Media, 21 December 2023)
- “סרבן מצפון ראשון מתחילת המלחמה: “טבח לא ישיג דבר (by Oren Ziv, Mekomit.co.il, 25 December 2023)
- Who are the Israeli refuseniks picking jail over the Gaza war? (Al Jazeera, 27 December 2023)
- Israel’s Gen Z conscientious objectors are going to prison for refusing to join the army (by Joshua Zitser, Business Insider, 15 December 2023)
- Hasan Interviews Israeli Students Who Refused To Join The IDF (December 2023)
- A group of Israeli youth refusing to serve in army oppose bombing of Gaza, occupation of Palestine (by Turgut Alp Boyraz, Anadolu Agency, 1 November 2023)
- Statement by Youth Against Dictatorship (Summer 2023)
- “Israeli youth publicly refuse draft” (Haaretz, 4 September 2023)
- “Analysis | Why 230 Teenagers Could Be the Israeli Government’s Worst Nightmare” (Haaretz, 6 September 2023)
- “‘Youth Against Dictatorship’: Meet Israel’s new class of conscientious objectors” (972 Magazine, 5 September 2023)
- “A lesson on Israeli ‘democracy’ from an 18-year-old draft refuser” (972 Magazine, 5 September 2023)
- “Tel Aviv school principal resigns as board bans student event on refusing IDF draft: Some 200 students intended to jointly announce refusal to serve in military” (Times of Israel, 3 September 2023)
- “These Israeli youth are burning their draft orders — and no longer feeling alone” (972 Magazine, 24 May 2023)
- “Having Fled War, Russian Emigres in Israel Find Themselves Drafted to IDF” (Moscow Times, 31 August 2023)
- Refuser Solidarity Network (“Ending the occupation, one soldier at a time.”)
- Jewish Peace Fellowship (USA)
Other international organizations supporting draft resisters worldwide:
[Reinhard Mey & Freunde, Nein, meine Söhne geb’ ich nicht (“No, I will not give my sons”), music video with English subtitles.]
This page published or republished here 30 July 2022; most recently modified 27 April 2024. This site is maintained by
Edward Hasbrouck. Corrections, contributions (articles, graphics, photos, videos, links, etc.), and feedback are welcomed.
