Keywords
mobilization
military offences
constitutional duty
crime qualification
international law
How to Cite
Abstract
The article examines the legal regulation of the conscription procedure during mobilization and analyzes the issues of criminal liability for persons who evade this constitutional duty. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of the normative framework, particularly the provisions of Article 336 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, as well as on changes in national legislation and its application that have arisen as a result of the full-scale war since February 24, 2022, and have gradually adapted to new challenges. The author conducts a systematic review of judicial decisions from national courts and the evolution of legal positions from 2022 to 2025, highlighting the main approaches taken by pre-trial investigation bodies and courts when assessing factual circumstances, evidence, and motives underlying such criminal offenses. Methodologically, the study combines formal-legal, comparative-legal and analytical approaches: it compares domestic and international methods of offence qualification, outlines the application of the principles of freedom of conscience and ne bis in idem, and systematizes the legal stances developed by the Supreme Court. The author also analyses factors that influenced case outcomes, ranging from widespread conditional sentences and suspensions in 2022–2023 to a pronounced shift toward more severe, custodial sentences with actual imprisonment after mid-2024. A separate part of the article addresses the problem of conscientious or religious objections to military service. On the basis of the judicial practice review, the paper formulates the need to harmonize national law with international standards, notably with respect to alternatives to military service (non-military service) and protection of the rights of persons liable for conscription. The conclusions substantiate recommendations to improve the legislative framework so as to balance national security needs with the protection of individual rights.
References
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