TWO YEARS of #OBJECTWARCAMPAIGN

by Connection e.V.

(04.10.2024) Dear everyone,

Through this eMail we would like to send you a report and an update about the #ObjectWarCampaign.

We would like to thank you for all the support we have received for the campaign over the past two years. It’s really great. We would appreciate it if you could pass this report to friends and acquaintances who might be interested in this work and the #ObjectwarCampaign as well. Thank you.

TWO YEARS of #OBJECTWARCAMPAIGN

Almost two years ago, we launched, together with War Resisters’ International, International Fellowship of Reconciliation and European Bureau for Conscientious Objection, the #ObjectWarCampaign to support Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian conscientious objectors, draft evaders and deserters. There are many positive things to report. However, it is disappointing to see the reactions of politicians and authorities, who have so far not worked towards real protection for those affected. Clearly, we have to keep at it and you can support us in this endeavour (see below).

It’s now time to take stock and report on current developments.

50,000 signatures to appeal to the EU for protection and asylum

In the first few months of the campaign, we have been able to collect more than 50,000 signatures via the WeMove platform and, with the help of many groups and organisations, to call on the European Union to grant protection and asylum to deserters and conscientious objectors. There have been also a number of related political statements and initiatives that took up these demands, such as a resolution by the European Parliament, a resolution by the Protestant Church of Germany and others.

We presented the signatures in Berlin and Brussels on 15 May 2023. However, the responses from the EU institutions have been sobering. For Russian objectors, for instance, it has been made reference to the regulations on asylum procedures: “With regard to conscientious objectors and deserters, this means that European asylum law and the associated obligations under the Geneva Convention on Refugees apply.” Consequently, this means that only political activists from Russia and Belarus and only deserters from Russia can hope to receive refugee status. France and Germany have positioned themselves accordingly. However, conscientious objectors who courageously refuse to enlist in the military and thus refuse to be deployed in a war are rejected.

Concerning Ukrainian conscientious objectors who face prosecution or deployment to the front, the European Union responds: “With regard to Ukraine, the EU is also in constant dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities. These discussions cover all policy areas.” There is no clear position on conscientious objection. There is not a clear action in the EU concerning the implementation of the human right to conscientious objection to military service, as defined by the European Court of Human Rights back in 2011, in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian conscripts who are currently in the European Union have nevertheless been granted at least temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive. (more see https://en.connection-ev.org/article-4270)

Although some politicians have spoken in favour of a change in the practice, policies remain very strict even when there are conscripts, such as the Russian ones, who are seeking refugee not to be deployed in a war of aggression which constitutes a violation of international law.

An international expanding campaign network

There are also many positive things to report about the #ObjectWarCampaign.

Counselling service: First and foremost, the fact that we have been able to develop a large international network with more than 120 organisations that work together to support concerned individuals. There is a network of organisations that offer assistance and support in various countries, including Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

The network has counselled thousands of deserters and conscientious objectors from a wide range of countries, referred them to lawyers and developed joint strategies to make it possible for them to stay in their respective country despite the adverse conditions or to seek protection abroad.

Joint projects: There are regular exchanges about potential and ongoing projects that can be financed through donations and fundraising, such as a recently launched project for Russian deserters in Armenia, where around 500 of them have to live in very precarious conditions.

Advocacy: Connection e.V. together with Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian organisations, War Resisters’ International, European Bureau for Conscientious Objection and others, is focussing on advocacy work at the United Nations in Geneva, the European parliament and the European institutions. This joint effort is expanding.

Actions and events: In a range of countries there have been dozens of decentralised events and activities to mark International Conscientious Objection Day on 15 May and International Human Rights Day on 10 December these past two years.

In Italy, for instance, on the occasion of the International Conscientious Objection Day, in 2023 the Italian partners of the campaign organized in Rome a public delivery, together with journalists, of a giant postcard of the campaign to demand full respect for the right to conscientious objection in front of the embassies of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. They also organised a press conference on the campaign at the Senate of the Republic on the same day.

In Germany and Belgium local groups organised high-visibility actions in front of Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian embassies and consulates to protest against the war and demand full recognition of the human right to conscientious objection. An oversized broken rifle has been used for this purpose, a great eye-catcher. Further actions took place in front of representations of the European Commission. It has been possible having joint actions with conscientious objectors and supporters from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine and hear thus their voice.

In USA, in Washington DC on 10 June 2024, the local partner organized a public standing in front of the Ukrainian embassy in solidarity with Yurii Sheliazhenko and in support of his work of assistance to conscientious objectors.

Solidarity with persecuted activists: Through the campaign network it has been possible to support peace activists and human rights defenders who are threatened with prosecution or deportation to their country of origin because of their work.

#FreePeaceSpeech: The Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, which continues to work in Ukraine, is under particular pressure in this regard and its representative Yurii Sheliazhenko is under investigation and has already been under house arrest. For this purpose it has been launched the action #FreePeaceSpeech and several actions have been undertaken such as press releases, formal communications to Ukrainian institutions and embassies...

#Protection4Olga: In Lithuania, Olga Karatch and the organisation Nash Dom are being denied protection. Although Olga has been sentenced to twelve years in prison in her country of origin, Belarus, for her human rights work she has not been granted refugee status. Several actions have been undertaken to support her and her family and appeal for her full protection.

Solidarity actions are absolutely necessary to support conscientious objectors and human rights defenders as well as addressing appeals and exercising pressure on the relevant authorities.

Website of the #ObjectWarCampaign: A year ago, we launched the website www.objectwarcampaign.org to report on the various activities, offer suggestions for actions, provide contacts to counselling centres and much more. For the moment it contains articles in English, German and Russian.

#RefuseWar global action: The joint #RefuseWar global action campaign has been launched this year together with War Resisters’ International and European Bureau for Conscientious Objection and has received a lot of supports from many of you and other organizations which joined in. This global action is a development to voice the worldwide support to refusal of war and support for peace. It is thus also another tool to focus and provide international solidarity to war resisters from many other countries around the world. (www.refusewar.org)

MOVING FORWARD . . . with all of you!

There are several things which can be done by you and your organization to help strengthen the international campaign and ensure protection to conscientious objectors and deserters from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

  • A new week of action is planned for December 2024 to mark the International Human Rights Day. We are working on some updated and new material for this purpose and hope that many groups and organisations will once again join in and mobilize everywhere. As it happened in May 2024, the week of action will not focus only on the war in Ukraine, but also on the other ongoing armed conflicts around us and on all those who refuse and object to war in those other countries.
    You can organize local actions, events or joint initiatives with other partners and involve as well media in order to raise more awareness and strengthen solidarity efforts.
  • Assistance and counselling is a constant need for those affected. You can inform concerned individuals about counselling and support possibility: www.objectwarcampaign.org/contacts. You can refer new contacts in your country that can offer specific counselling and support, if needed.
  • Financial support continues to be vital, especially to be able to support with consistency organisations that work directly with deserters and conscientious objectors whose number continues to increase. You can help to fundraise and invite other as well to contribute: Account DE47 5055 0020 0006 0853 77 at Sparkasse Offenbach.
  • Join the campaign! Conscientious objectors and deserter need stronger and consistent support and their voices and human rights need to be heard louder. This is possible as we find new partners and supporters who can join the #ObjectWarCampaign. You can refer new potential partners and involve new organizations in the activities related to the campaign.

These two years have been very intense of opportunity to support and to stand for conscientious objectors from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. We thank of all of you for the contribution and ongoing efforts.

Thank you!

Rudi Friedrich and Zaira Zafarana, Connection e.V.

Connection e.V.: Two years of #ObjectWarCampaign. October 4, 2024

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