Ukraine, objector Yurii Sheliazhenko on trial tomorrow: he risks 5 years

Dozens of organizations from Europe to the United States, via Africa, concerned about the continued persecution of peace activists

ROME – “Deep disappointment and concern for the continued persecution of peace activists and conscientious objectors, including the clearly arbitrary indictment of Yurii Sheliazhenko, executive secretary of the Ukrainian Peace Movement” is expressed in a joint statement by a network of civil society organizations, from Europe to the United States, via Africa. The signatory organizations give solidarity to the case of Sheliazhenko, member of the board of directors of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (Ebco), whose trial is set for 11 June 2024 at 2.15 pm (now of Kiev), at the Pecherskyi District Court of the city of Kiev (case no. 757/16536/24-k, judge Oleg Bilotserkivets) and, the organizations further inform, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to five years.< /p>

THE JUDICIARY’S ACCUSATION: “IT JUSTIFIES THE RUSSIAN AGGRESSION OF UKRAINE”

Sheliazhenko, the organizations continue, “had his apartment searched on August 3 last year, and since then he has been living under repeatedly extended house arrest while he is investigated by the Ukrainian Security Service. The only accusation that so far has been made public against him is that a September 2022 statement (‘Peace Agenda for Ukraine and the World’) he issued on behalf of the Ukrainian Peace Movement ‘justified Russian aggression’, despite explicitly condemning the invasion and any kind of war.

Sheliazhenko’s computer and his smartphone – we read again – were seized and, despite a court ruling, were not returned. The further objective of this persecution against a pacifist appears to be to hinder his defense of the right to refuse to kill and his legal assistance to conscientious objectors”.

OBSTACLES TO THE UKRAINIAN PACIFIST MOVEMENT

The joint note promoted by the European Office for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) continues: “The Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, in response to a letter from the Ukrainian Security Service (which also published a press release in which it defines Yurii ‘agitator of the enemy’), asked the Administrative Court of the Kiev Region to prohibit and dissolve the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, a member organization of both EBCO and the War Resisters’ International (WRI)”.

The APPEAL: “CONSCIOUS OBJECTION MUST BE A CONDITION FOR UKRAINE’S ACCESSION TO THE EU”

Therefore, the writing organizations “urge the European Union to ensure that the recognition and full implementation of the right to conscientious objection, as a vital safeguard of democratic values and principles in times of national emergency caused by aggression Russian, will be considered a necessary condition for Ukraine’s accession to the EU during the next negotiations.The right to conscientious objection is recognized, among other things, in the Charter of fundamental rights of the EUin Article 10 – Freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

THE BODIES SIGNATORY OF THE JOINT NOTE

In addition to the European Office for Conscientious Objection (Ebco), they have signed up to the well-known International Reconciliation Exchange (Ifor); War Resisters’ International (WRI); Connection; Ukrainian Peace Movement (Ukraine); International Reconciliation Movement (Mir Italia); Pressenza (Italy); International Center for Civil Initiatives ‘Casa Nostra’ (Belarus); Democratic jurists (Italy); Internationaler Versöhnungsbund, österreichischer Zweig (Austria); The Fellowship of Reconciliation (England and Scotland); Center for Peace Research and Education, University of Klagenfurt (Austria); Center on Conscience & War (United States); Anglican Peace Fellowship (UK); Pax Christi (Italy); Lebenshaus Schwäbische Alb; Community for social justice, peace and ecology; BOCS Foundation for Civilization Planning (Hungary); Vrede vzw (Belgium); Peace and Justice (Scotland); Foundation for Peace and Development-Africa – Pdf-Africa (Uganda); A Bridge for (Italy); Kerk en Vrede (Holland); Vredesactie (Belgium); Stop Wapenhandel (Holland); Ev. Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Kriegsdienstverweigerung und Frieden – Eak (Germany); Aktionsgemeinschaft Dienst für den Frieden – Agdf (Germany); International Peace Bureau – IPB; Observatory on conscientious objection (Türkiye); Institute for Peace (Slovenia); International Reconciliation Movement (France); Pax Christi (Germany); Ifor – Mir (Switzerland); Association of Conscientious Objectors (Greece); Pax Christi (Flanders); PeaceLink (Italy).