Conscientious Objectors’ Day
'This year’s ceremony, hosted by the actor and playwright Michael Mears, focused on COs in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.'
Quakers gathered across the country to mark Conscientious Objectors’ (CO) Day this week.
With events in Liverpool, Brighton, Manchester, Leicester and Leeds, Friends joined other campaigners to stand in solidarity with COs past and present, and the many people around the world who are imprisoned or forced to flee for refusing to join the armed forces.
Friends also attended the annual service to mark the day on 15 May in Tavistock Square in London, where Belarusian peace activist Olga Karach spoke about the situation faced by COs in Belarus today. Semih Sapmaz, from War Resisters International, also spoke on the global struggle of COs around the world, and feminist historian Ali Ronan talked about the overlooked women who supported COs during and after the first world war. This year’s ceremony, hosted by the actor and playwright Michael Mears, focused on COs in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Ahead of the event, Quaker Peace & Social Witness’s Peace Education team highlighted a petition from the #ObjectWarCampaign, which aims to ensure protection and asylum for conscientious objectors and deserters from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine involved in the war in the region. The campaign follows a speech last year, when Charles Michel, president of the European Council, called on Russian soldiers to desert, promising them protection under refugee law. According to the campaigners, ‘So far, this promise has not been fulfilled.’
The #ObjectWarCampaign says an estimated 100,000 Russian military draftees and deserters are refusing to join the war. Meanwhile, an estimated 22,000 Belarusian military draftees have left their country because they don’t want to participate in the war. ‘Everyone who has refused service risks several years of prosecution because of their stand against the war. They are hoping for protection in various countries.’
The campaign group also points out that Ukraine has suspended the right to conscientious objection and closed the border for men between eighteen and sixty. Over 100,000 men have avoided war involvement in Ukraine and fled abroad. Currently, Ukrainian citizens have temporary residence in the European Union.
The campaigners say that the petition signatures ‘are a crucial sign of support for conscientious objectors and deserters. This campaign highlights the importance of opening borders to those who oppose the war at great personal risk in their countries, and calls on everyone around the world to support those who refuse to fight and kill’.
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