Italian organizations supporting Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian conscientious objectors and deserters, partners of the International Coalition #ObjectWarCampaign, Giuristi Democratici, Movimento Internazionale della Riconciliazione, Un Ponte Per, Movimento Nonviolento, Pax Christi, Pressenza, Centro Studi Sereno Regis together with CNESC and Caritas Italiana held two rallies on May 16, 2023, in Rome:

– At 12 p.m. a peaceful march started from Termini station for peaceful presence of #ObjectWarCampaign in front of the Russian embassy, then in front of Ukrainian and, finally, in front of the Belarusian one. Participants demanded to ensure the right of young men not to join the army and not to take up arms for reasons of conscience.

– At 5 p.m. a press conference was held at the Sala Caduti di Nassirya in the Senate to present the main points of appeal to European institutions and to separate countries, as well as to sum up the results of the state of things with conscientious objection in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, where currently constant violations of that very human right are observed, including those registered by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and that situation forces young men to seek protection and asylum abroad. At the press conference, Italian organizations presented results of the campaign and concluding initiatives, that had been conducted in other countries and in European institutions. The following participants spoke at the press conference: Zaira Zafarana (#ObjectWarCampaign), Fabio Alberti (Un Ponte Per), Diego Cipriani (Conferenza Nazionale Enti Servizio Civile), Ermete Ferraro (Movimento Internazionale della Riconciliazione), Mao Valpiana (Movimento Nonviolento), Cesare Antetomaso (Giuristi democratici).

Those young men from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine who refuse to kill and take up arms, are actively defending their right to life and are determined that it is possible to resolve international arguments without weapons, which is stipulated in the Italian Constitution in Chapter 11.

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A solidarity action with Belarusian deserters and conscientious objectors was held in Athens near the Belarusian embassy International webinar devoted to the problems of conscientious objectors and deserters of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine The situation with Belarusian conscientious objectors and deserters was discussed at the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva International Day of Conscientious Objection AMSTERDAM supports Belarusian conscientious objectors and Belarusian deserters VILNIUS supports Belarusian conscientious objectors and Belarusian deserters