Why the Office of the Military Ombudsman Does Not Consider Complaints from Persons Liable for Military Service

Nearly one in five complaints submitted to the Office of the Military Ombudsman comes from persons liable for military service. These complaints concern issues such as mobilization, Military Medical Commission examinations, the granting of deferments, removal from military registration, and similar matters.

Please note that the Office's mandate is limited exclusively to protecting the rights of service members in matters related to their military service. Because military service imposes certain restrictions on the exercise of service members' rights and freedoms, a separate institutional mechanism has been established to respond to possible violations of their rights.

Until they are called up for military training, persons liable for military service are civilians. They may fully exercise the civil legal mechanisms available to protect their rights, including applying to human rights institutions, law enforcement authorities, and the courts. The Office's mandate begins when a person is enlisted in the personnel of the Defence Forces of Ukraine and continues until that person is demobilized.