Ukraine

The Peace Pledge Union (PPU) has today (21 Jan 2022) issued the following statement with regards to the prospect of war over Ukraine. The PPU is Britain's leading pacifist organisation and the British section of War Resisters' International.

Ukrainian conscientious objector and journalist Ruslan Kotsaba will be on trial again on September 20th. Support Kotsaba with your actions ahead of his trial! War Resisters’ International (WRI), European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) and Connection e.V. are calling for international actions ahead of Kotsaba’s next hearing, scheduled to take place on September 20th.

Ukrainian conscientious objector and journalist Ruslan Kotsaba has had another trial today (5th August). His trial will continue on 20th September.

On Monday (12th July), Ukrainian Pacifist Movement organised a protest near Turkish embassy in Kyiv in support of conscientious objectors in Turkey. In their statement, they said “Turkey does not recognize human right to conscientious objection, enforce conscription with outrageous cruelty and severely punish objectors, imposing fines and imprisonment for so-called desertion, excluding pacifists from social life to a degree of "civil death," closing their bank accounts, depriving them of access to public services.” 

WRI strongly condemns the brutal attacks against conscientious objector Ruslan Kotsaba and stands in solidarity with him. We also join the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement (UPM) in their call to the authorities to investigate the attacks against Kotsaba thoroughly and take necessary steps to ensure his and other UPM activists’ safety. 

Journalist, conscientious objector, and a member of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement Ruslan Kotsaba was on trial again for a video he posted in 2015. In front of the courthouse, Kotsaba, well-known for his pacifist and antimilitarist stance, was attacked by a far-right group. WRI strongly condemns the attacks against Ukrainian Kotsaba and stands in solidarity with him as well as the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement and all conscientious objectors in Ukraine.

Ukrainian journalist, conscientious objector and a member of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement Ruslan Kotsaba will be put on trial again on Friday (22nd January) for a video he posted in 2015 in which he was calling to boycott military mobilisation for the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian Pacifist Movement (UPM) released a statement informing that Ruslan Kotsaba, a journalist and pacifist from Ukraine, will be tried again for a video he posted in 2015 in which he was calling to boycott mobilisation for armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

The latest issue of our newsletter CO Update is out! In this issue, you'll find stories on conscientious objection and conscription from Ukraine,Turkey, Eritrea, Germany, USA, Azerbaijan, Thailand, among others.

The Ukrainian Pacifist Movement condemns Bill No 3553, recently sent to parliament by President Zelensky. If parliament passes the bill, Ukraine will face further bloodshed, crime will rise, and our economy will fall into deeper misery and shadows. Thousands of additional Ukrainian citizens will seek asylum abroad, away from war and violence destroying their peaceful way of life.

WRI affiliate Ukrainian Pacifist Movement (UPM) released a statement condemning a bill introducing “intolerable elements of military dictatorship” in Ukraine. UPM said, Bill No 3553, proposed by the president Volodymyr Zelensky, introduces mandatory military registration for employment, as well as draconian fines and imprisonment for conscientious objectors and those showing solidarity with them.

In May we were very happy to welcome two new organisations to our international, antimilitarist network!