European Bureau for Conscientious Objection

EBCO met in London half May 2016 to remember the first law in history (U.K. , 1916) which provided a legal right to conscientious objection to military service. Next EBCO meeting will be organized in Athens in November 2016 with presentation of the annual EBCO report (survey on the current CO situation in Europe); Mihalis Marangakis, one of the historical Greek CO's, will present also his autobiographical book.

Brussels, 26 May 2016

Ruslan Kotsaba, a journalist and conscientious objector from Ukraine, was  sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment by the city court of Ivano-Frankivsk (Western Ukraine) on 12 May 2016. The court found him guilty of „obstructing the legitimate activities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces“.

On Saturday 14th May, the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection are holding their annual meeting in London for the first time; join representatives of peace movements afterwards for an informal meeting at 7.30pm. It will be a chance to hear how we can support anti-conscription and conscientious objector movements today, as well as to discover how recognition of the rights of conscientious objectors in Britain in 1916 impacted campaigns in other countries.
When: Saturday 14th May, 7.30pm

Presentation – Discussion on the right to Concientious Objection in Republic of Cyprus

On Friday 15.4., together with the recognized conscientious objector in the Republic of Cyprus Loizos Loucaides and activists of the 'Demilitarised Nicosia Network', we are discussing about conscientious objection, the relevant legislation and the process to be followed in order for someone to be recognized as a conscientious objector in the Republic of Cyprus.

Σας καλούμε στη δράση για τη μείωση των στρατιωτικών δαπανών και την αύξηση των κοινωνικών δαπανών την Κυριακή 17 Απριλίου ώρα 17:00. Ξεκινάμε με πορεία από την πλατεία Συντάγματος, στεκόμαστε στα γραφεία της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής, και καταλήγουμε στο Πολεμικό Μουσείο δηλώνοντας:

Δεν είμαστε Αόρατοι
Σταματήστε Τους Πολέμους, Όχι Τους Πρόσφυγες
Βάλτε τον Πόλεμο στο Μουσείο
Κόψτε Στρατιωτικές Δαπάνες, Χρηματοδοτήστε Ανθρώπινες Ανάγκες

22 mars 2016, la terreur aveugle a encore frappé. C’est cette fois notre pays qui dénombre ses morts et ses blessés. Nous pleurons les victimes des attentats à Bruxelles, comme nous pleurons toutes les victimes innocentes de Paris, d’Irak, de Syrie, de Turquie, de Côte d’Ivoire, du Burkina Faso, du Mali et partout ailleurs où la terreur frappe aveuglément. Ces attaques nous rappellent douloureusement que la guerre et la violence ne connaissent pas de frontières.

           
Bombarder le terrorisme ne l’éradiquera pas

We are conscientious objectors from all around the eastern Mediterranean region. Our region has suffered for so long from oppression, injustice, militarisation, military occupations and wars, as well as poverty, illiteracy, hunger and lack of social infrastructure. In this difficult period, when our region seems to fall even more into the chaos of war, we raise a common voice for peace and against militarisation.

"VR-DER: Leave Your Units, Refuse The War"

Although nobody remembers in today’s war conditions, it shouldn’t be forgotten that there had been a state of cease fire between the state and PKK, which started in the Newroz of 2013 and lasted for more than two years. After a period of clashes, while Erdogan was talking in public meetings before the 2015 June elections, saying “Give us the 400 (seats), (so that) the issue is settled peacefully” as the head of state; HDP election campaign had the slogan “we will not let you become the president”.

İçinde bulunduğumuz savaş koşullarında artık kimse hatırlamıyor olsa dahi, devlet ile PKK arasında 2013 yılı Newroz’unda başlayan ve yaklaşık 2 yıldan uzun süren bir çatışmasızlık halinin yaşandığını unutmamak gerekir.

Declaration written by Nuri Sılay who is the 17th conscientious objector so far in Cyprus-north.

My Conscientious Objection

As an individual of 32 years of age, I lead my life taking responsibility for all my decisions. Such a conception of life, though, places on us certain conscientious duties; I draw up the following text in an attempt to share with you my new duty.

Israeli Conscientious Objector Tair Kaminer goes to jail
Observing the situation of CO in the Mediterranean region EBCO forwards the following information received from easternmednetwork:

For more information please visit War Resisters International website

Statement of the feminist collective TO MOV (Greece) co-signed by the Association of Greek Conscientious Objectors
At a time when the democratic demand is the abolition of compulsory miliraty service, the ministry of Defense, on the contrary, seems to wish the extention of this service to women.