Global: Not one man more, not one dinar more for Putin’s army! Appeal on the occasion of December 1 - International Day of Prisoners of Conscience for Peace

Source: WIB network, via email 27.11.22

Not one man more, not one dinar more for Putin’s army!

Appeal on the occasion of December 1 - International Day of Prisoners of Conscience for Peace

Joining the appeal of Italian conscientious objectors (LOC-Lega Obiettori di Coscienza) addressed to Russian citizens not to cooperate with the Putin regime and to desert as a sign of resistance to the ’partial mobilization’ for the war against Ukraine, we call on Russian citizens not to cooperate with the bloodthirsty rulers of the Russian Federation. At the same time, we appeal to the governments of all countries of the European Union and the governments of all countries in the process of accession to the Union (including the government of Serbia) to grant political asylum to Russian deserters.

Not one dinar (or euro) more: we demand the adoption of measures in the field of energy supply, in order to reduce dependence on Putin’s gas. It is necessary to implement energy policy measures with the aim of liberating Serbia (+ other countries) from Russian energy sources, which would make Serbia contribute to efforts to deprive the Russian regime of some of the resources necessary for continued aggression against Ukraine.

Starting from the fact that:

The Human Rights Committee of the United Nations recognizes that “the right to conscientious objection to military service is necessarily linked to the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religious belief.” This guarantees the right of every individual to be exempted from military service if it is contrary to religious or any other conviction. Compulsory military service must not be imposed by force or coercion";

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) encouraged states to “seriously consider granting asylum to conscientious objectors to military service who face a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin for refusing military service, especially when it is not regulated by law, i.e., when the right to conscientious objection to military service is not recognized”;

The European Court of Human Rights on the basis of Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights and in connection with freedom of thought, conscience and religious beliefs guarantees the refusal of military service;

The European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a number of resolutions and recommendations regarding conscientious objection to military service, bearing in mind the fact that appropriate measures had already been taken in the case of deserters who refused military service or conscription in the armed forces of former Yugoslavia;

Asylum is a basic human right granted to those who face persecution or severe consequences in their country of origin; this right is guaranteed by the Geneva Convention of 1951, Article 18 of the Charter of Fundamental Human Rights of the European Union, as well as the constitutions of all democratic countries in the world.

Bearing in mind that:

the aggravation of the war conflict of Putin’s Russia is transmitted to the whole of Europe and that due to the invasion of Ukraine the Russian regime has decided to expand the mobilization for war and declare a state of war; measures of brutal repression and persecution are carried out in Russia against all those who refuse to go to the battlefield, as well as all those who dare to spread information or news about the true state of affairs in connection with the war;

we request that:

political asylum be granted to citizens of the Russian Federation who refuse to participate in the armed forces, to be sent to the battlefield in Ukraine, as well as to those who have deserted.

26. 11. 2022.

Women in Black, Belgrade

Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights/Yucom, Belgrade

With the support of:

Women in Black Network, Serbia, Građanska akcija, Pančevo; NENA – grupa za mir i prava žena, Leskovac; SOS telefon za žene i decu žrtve nasilja, Vlasotince; Udruženje žena Peščanik, Kruševac; Žene Polimlja, Prijepolje; Akademska inicijativa Forum 10, Novi Pazar; Savez antifašista Srbije, Beograd; Savez antifašista Vojvodine, Novi Sad; Škart, Beograd; Led art/Art klinika, Novi Sad; Autonomni ženski centar, Beograd; Rekonstrukcija Ženski fond, Beograd; Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava u Srbiji, Beograd…

Note: this appeal was sent today and until now a lot of organizations and individuals is signing…The list will be closed till November 29, 2022 and November 30, 2022. WiB will send to media etc. If you accept, let us know! WIB Belgrade will organize, together with Russian and Ucraine antiwar community in Belgrade will organize street action in occasion of International Day of Prisoners of Conscience for Peace!