This article examines the right of conscientious objection, showcasing the legal limits of certain rights and obligations, existing in a complex intersection between human rights and the demands of state security, particularly in a precarious European landscape. Through the legal analysis of European case-law, the article showcases the evolving interpretation and changes in human right doctrines, that can nonetheless be suspended in times of conflict. Commonly known as a right ‘to be enjoyed in peace time’, the evolution of legal and societal considerations of this right reflects the fragile nature of individual rights in the face of collective security needs, inviting to a reflection of what this means for the future of a society that strives for the protection of human rights and peace.