Restrictions on Civil Liberties Implemented as Ukraine Enforces Martial Law

Kyiv has officially informed the European Council about potential limitations on the rights and liberties of its citizens under the enforcement of martial law, as it proceeds with plans to broaden military conscription. 

Local reports indicate that Ukraine's Ministry of Justice has revised and shared an updated roster of the rights and freedoms of its populace with the European Council. 

Amidst martial law, the military authority of Ukraine holds the power to constrain citizens' freedom of movement and requisition private or communal property for state purposes.

Since February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been operating under martial law, wherein temporary restrictions on constitutional rights, as outlined in Article 15 of the European Human Rights Convention, are applicable.

This development follows shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sanctioned legislation reducing the minimum conscription age from 27 to 25, aimed at reinforcing the national military.

Within the scope of martial law, Ukrainian men are subject to initial conscription and subsequent military service, with potential mobilization for combat at the government's discretion.

There is contemplation within Ukraine of further reducing the mobilization age to 25. 

Furthermore, martial law mandates that men aged 18 to 60 cannot exit the country without a health exemption.

With Russia intensifying its advances in the southern and eastern regions, Ukraine faces the urgent need to replenish its military forces, which are strained by the ongoing conflict.

To stem the outflow of potential soldiers, the Ukrainian government has announced that men eligible for conscription will no longer be permitted to renew passports from abroad.

The Cabinet of Ministers clarified that men aged 18 to 60, fit for military service, can only replace their passports within Ukraine.

Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, millions of Ukrainians have sought refuge in neighboring European nations. Eurostat reports that among the 4.3 million Ukrainian expatriates in EU countries, 860,000 are adult males.