Mikita Sviryd: The story of a Belarusian deserter in Lithuania
Stuck between the threat of death penalty in Belarus and illegal refugee status in Lithuania
Mikita Sviryd, a Belarusan deserter who, when the war started in Ukraine, fled illegally to Lithuania because he was afraid that the Belarusan army would go to Ukraine to help Russia. Today Mikita is an illegal refugee, Lithuania has denied the young deserter political asylum. In Belarus, desertion can be punishable by death penalty. Today, he is desperate and expects nothing good in his future. What is for geopolitics the fate of one guy who at the age of 19 decided to give up being a soldier? #protection4Nikita
"Adbusting”: Berlin and Helsinki activists demand asylum for conscientious objectors
(11.07.2024) Oops, what are Berlin ad posters doing in Helsinki? And why are they campaigning for asylum for conscientious objectors? The "adbusted" posters are calling for asylum for conscientious objectors from Belarus and Russia. "We are currently in Helsinki to network with antimilitarists from the Baltic Sea region," reports Roderich Supersonnenwetter, spokesperson for the action group (AfKj!). "So close to the border with Russia, it makes sense to send a signal of solidarity for conscientious objection." Roderich Supersonnenwetter says: "Asylum for conscientious objectors from Russia and Belarus is a smart way to make it more difficult for Putin to wage his war in Ukraine!"
"Adbusting": Berliner und Helsinker Aktivist:innen fordern Asyl für Kriegsdienstverweiger:innen
(11.07.2024) Huch? Was haben Berliner Werbeposter in Helsinki verloren? Und warum werben sie für Asyl für Kriegsdienstverweiger*innen? Die ge-"adbusteten" Poster fordern Asyl für Kriegsdienstverweiger:innen aus Belarus und Russland. „Wir sind gerade in Helsinki, um uns mit Antimilitarist:innen aus dem Ostseeraum zu vernetzen“, berichtet Roderich Supersonnenwetter, Sprecher:in der Aktionsgruppe (AfKj!). "So nah an der Grenze zu Russland ist es sinnvoll, ein Solidaritätszeichen für Kriegsdienstverweigerung zu setzen". Roderich Supersonnenwetter sagt: „Asyl für Kriegsdienstverweiger:innen aus Russland und Belarus ist eine smarte Methode, um Putin das Führen seines Krieges in der Ukraine zu erschweren!“
Reporting on Ukraine, Belarus, Eritrea, Turkey and on the human right to conscientious objection
(11.07.2024) In May 2024, Zaira Zafarana began her work in Connection e.V. as international advocacy coordinator. Her consultancy is aimed to advocate for human rights and in particular for the human right to conscientious objection to military service at the United Nations in Geneva, the Council of Europe, and the European Union.
