In Belarus, military service is compulsory for all males between the ages of 18 and 27. They are obliged to serve for 18 months, or 12 months for university graduates. The Constitution of Belarus allows for the possibility of exemption from military service, and for the substitution of military service by an alternative service to be determined by law. Due to the fact that a law has not been passed, young men who wish to substitute their military service with alternative service continue to be at risk of being charged and prosecuted for draft evasion. Positive developments in recent months indicate a growing commitment to resolve this ambiguity, the OSCE Office in Minsk reported.
"We are currently researching best practices in alternative service legislation and discussing the matter with the relevant government ministries. We hope that a draft law will be prepared by next year," said First Deputy Director Alexander Makareevich, from the National Centre for Legislation and Legal Research, a government agency under the Presidential administration.
The OSCE Office in Minsk conducted a seminar on best practices from the OSCE region on alternative service legislation. Experts from France, Germany, Moldova and Russia shared the best practices from their countries at the seminar. Officials from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented examples of alternative service from the ODIHR handbook Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Armed Services Personnel.
The seminar participants asked detailed questions concerning practical issues surrounding the operation and management of alternative civilian service. Many took note of the fact that alternative service work may be as challenging as serving in the military. The experts explained that in many OSCE countries, alternative service can include work in hospitals or retirement homes to care for the elderly or mentally ill, or as emergency workers or fire fighters. This work is often demanding and difficult, and can be of great value to society as well as personally rewarding.
"The OSCE is committed to supporting the Belarusian government in modernizing its armed forces, and when a draft law is ready the OSCE can provide additional support in the form of international legal expertise, if requested by the government," said Ambassador Benedikt Haller, the Head of the OSCE Office in Minsk. "We look forward to seeing this important piece of legislation which will provide Belarusian citizens with broader opportunities to serve their country."
