11-7-2023 De Beweging van Gewetensbezwaarden Rusland heeft, in samenwerking met andere antimilitaristische Russische organisaties, een oproep opgesteld aan de Europese Commissie en het Europees Parlement om dringende maatregelen te nemen voor de internationale bescherming van Russische gewetensbezwaarden, deserteurs enz Organisaties kunnen deze oproep mee ondertekenen.

De Movement of Conscientious Objection Russia schrijft:

We at Movement of Conscientious Objection Russia, in partnership with other Anti-Militarist Russian organisations, have drafted an appeal to the European Commission and the European Parliament seeking urgent measures for the international protection of Russian conscientious objectors, deserters, and those who surrendered or were captured, amidst the escalating political and military tensions.

Recent legal changes in the Russian Federation have drastically undermined the rights of these individuals. The Decree No. 647 and Federal law No. 365-FZ, along with alterations to existing federal laws and resolutions by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, have severely curtailed the ability for military personnel to conscientiously object or desert, forcing them to participate in the conflict against their will. These laws and policies have, in effect, created mechanisms for the Russian regime to persecute its own citizens who choose to object to, desert, or surrender from military action, particularly the invasion of Ukraine.

Given the seriousness of the situation, we appeal to European institutions to recognize this situation as a crime against peace and develop unified approaches and mechanisms for the protection of Russian citizens affected by these severe laws. We believe that these steps would help protect the fundamental human rights of individuals who have been ensnared in this crisis and provide much-needed support for Russian citizens under threat of criminal prosecution for conscientiously objecting to military service.

Our goal is to get this appeal co-signed and distributed by as many organisations as possible, to elevate its impact and demonstrate the widespread concern for these grave human rights violations.

I am therefore kindly requesting you to co-sign this appeal and help us distribute it to any networks or channels available to you. You can access the complete text of the appeal in Russian and English here.

If you are willing, please add your signature at the end of the document. Our aim is to mobilize a united front of international human rights, humanitarian, and anti-war organisations, to ensure the voice of those in need does not go unheard.

We deeply appreciate your consideration of this request and are confident that together, we can make a substantial difference in safeguarding the rights and lives of these vulnerable individuals.

Please let us know at your earliest convenience if you are able to support this important endeavour, or if you would like further information or discussions on the matter.

In Nederland hebben Vredesbeweging Pais en de SVAG al ondertekend.

Bron: Connection e.V.