Member organizations

Belgium

Bulgaria

  • The Youth Society for Peace and Development of the Balkans (YSPDB) was created in 1998 as an informal alliance of NGO leaders. In the middle of 2001 it was officially registered as a non-governmental organization according to the Bulgarian legislature. Its members are students, young people and citizens who work for:

    Our Purpose is:
    Achieving Social Change by Promoting the Values for Peace and Development among Young People and Society.

    Our Aims are:
    • Supporting the personal and civic growth of young people;
    • Promoting and developing youth work in Bulgaria and Europe;
    • Promoting the benefits of youth work in its various forms;
    • Increasing intercultural dialogue and overcoming differences;
    • Establishing new models, practices and cooperation in secondary, higher, non-formal and civic education;
    • Improving the dialogue between the non-governmental sector, business and authorities at local, national and international levels;
    • Encouragement and development of the creative process in the field of art and culture;
    The activities we carry out to achieve the above stated aims are - trainings, forums and conferences, support and organization of campaigns, exchanges, voluntary and educational initiatives, publication and dissemination of materials, research, analysis and consultation in the field of youth work and youth policy, cross-sectoral cooperation, promotion of legislative initiatives and related activities with the preservation of cultural heritage.

    We are constantly challenging ourselves, expanding our comfort zone to have better results and higher standards. 
     
    We are a founding member of the National Youth Council of Bulgaria and have continuous contacts with more than 100 organizations in Bulgaria and more than 30 international organizations. Since 2003, YSPDB is an associate member of the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) and representative of the same in Bulgaria.
 

Cyprus

Cyprus Consciention Objection Initiative

The initiative works to support and solve the problems of all persons that see militarism as an obstacle in front of peace, democratization and establishment of a truly civilian administration. It further adopts the slogan "our duty for our homeland should be 'peace' and conscientious objection should be our right".

The initiative struggles for abolishing of laws that consider any anti-militarist stance as "alienating the public from military service" and therefore, illegal. There are no conditions that justify the right of conscientious objection -- which is a defence of life -- to be considered a subject of prosecution by the militarist establishment. It is also against the military court system which even the soldiers do not deserve, and works for its abolishing according to the principle of a single rule of law.

It works to establish the right of conscientious objection in the constitution itself, as it is now considered a "basic human right" by the modern civilization. The compulsory military service in Cyprus should be re-organized according to the European Union norms and United Nations advisory decisions. We demand that the 74th article of the constitution of the administration of the northern part of Cyprus which defines compulsory military service as "a duty to the homeland" of all citizens is changed to include a clause to the effect that allows the right of conscientious objection. For clarity, we call it to be amended as indicated in bold (following the example of the constitution of Germany):

National Service: Article 74

(1) National service in the armed forces shall be the right and sacred duty of every citizen. However, no person shall be compelled against his conscience to render military service involving the use of arms.
(2) Conditions relating to national service shall be regulated by law

The initiative does not accept violence as a means to solve any conflict; neither does it accept its promotion as such. It refuses compulsory military service in general.

The initiative supports all individuals who refuse military service regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, nationality or political views. It works against the male-dominated mentality and works to overcome the military establishment's inhumane stance towards the gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals (LGBT). It works together with LGBT organizations and groups towards this goal.

  • It asks all individuals under arms who see their opponents as friends/brothers rather than enemies, to refuse the militarist orders as unacceptable and to "keep the guard of peace instead of the conflict". It embraces those individuals and calls them to join our ranks.
  • It sympathizes and supports the plight of thousands of individuals who could not, did not and will not be able to do military service. They are now considered as "deserters" and are punished to live a "civilian death" while the youthful, most productive part of their lives is stolen from them. It works to regain the rights of individuals who did not turn themselves in for military service and are therefore now in self-imposed exile.
  • It will organize activities to inform the public about the truth regarding the right of conscientious objection to overcome the present misinformation campaigns.

We call everyone to join "The Initiative for Conscientious Objection in Cyprus (north)" to face the reality of the system, the war and those in power to establish the right for conscientious objection.

This call is for everyone without any discrimination of gender. To all those who lost a piece of themselves by sending their children to wars in Cyprus, those young people who could not see a bright future due to the prospect of a military service, those in exile away from their homeland, in summary to everyone who suffered due to militarism.

This is a call to face all obstacles and to organize against wars, aggression, occupations and militarism in general.
 

France

Finland

Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto (The Finnish Union of Conscientious Objectors, AKL) is an anti-militarist peace organization. It acts as an advocacy organization for conscientious objectors (people serving non-military service, total objectors, reserve objectors). It is also an open anti-militarist youth organization that deals with other issues than those directly related to conscientious objection. Anyone, regardless of age or gender, is welcome to join!

Germany

Greece

sas_logo
Association of Greek Conscientious Objectors

email: arnisi@antirrisies.gr

DEMANDS REGARDING THE OLD CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS AND INSUBORDINATE

  • To grant amnesty to the old COs (before the law 2510/1997 came into force, on 1/1/1998) and to suspend of all the administrative sanctions against them.
  • To stop the practice of the authorities to prosecute the COs continuously and repeatedly for the same in essence offence.
  • To stop judging civilian cases and cases of those who refuse the military status in military courts.
  • To depenalize the total refusal to serve military service. At first, to suspend the penal prosecutions and those of the administrative sanctions which break the fundamental political and civil rights.
  •  To decrease the age limit for military duty (45 years today) at least one decade.
  • To abolish the “in absentia” conviction for matters of insubordination in general.
  • To provide for buying off the service as provided for those enlisted and in proportion to the tax statement of the concerned person and depositing this money to a service different from the army.

2) DEMANDS REGARDING THE INSTITUTION OF THE ALTERNATE CIVILIAN SOCIAL SERVICE

  • The institution to be under a non-military supervisory authority.
  • The right to serve alternative service to be mentioned explicitly and analytically in the information documents about conscription.

2.2) DEMANDS REGARDING THE RECOGNITION OF THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

  • The special advisory committee, also known as conscience control committee, to be abolished. All the applications for alternative service to be automatically accepted.
  • The right to conscientious objector status to be recognized at any time, before and after the enlistment in the armed forces.
  • The right to conscience objection to be recognized even during war or emergency situation.
  • All the “irrebuttable presumptions” to be abolished as well as the provision which denies the right to conscientious objection to individuals who are prosecuted for illegal violence - but not sentenced, because like this the presumption of innocence is violated. The unacceptable provision which denies the right to the conscientious objection to hunters and members of the rifle clubs to be abolished too.
  • The process of applying to be simplified. If some of the “irrebuttable presumptions” remain, certificates and documents not to be required since a personal legal statement is asked anyway.
  • The derogations to be abolished and replaced by a system of sanctions.

DEMANDS REGARDING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ALTERNATIVE CIVILIAN SERVICE

  • The duration of the alternative service to be equal with the duration of the military service so that it is not punitive and discriminatory.
  • The financial needs of the conscientious objectors to be really covered. Free food, accommodation and transportation or compensation equal to the basic salary of the unskilled worker.
  • Transfers:
  • a) The time away from the residence to be in proportion to this of the enlisted soldiers and then to be able to return. b) The unacceptable geographic restrictions which deny more than half of the population of the country, included residents of degraded urban areas, the services conscientious objectors could offer, to be abolished.
  • The prohibition of syndicalism and participation in a strike to be abolished.
  • The alternative service to be performed in non-governmental organizations and the conscientious objectors to be able to participate in humanitarian missions abroad.
     

Italy

mnv

Member of EBCO, Italian branch of War Resisters’ International, Via Spagna, 8, 37123 Verona - Italy Phone +39 45 800 9803

an@nonviolenti.org , www.nonviolenti.org, http://www.azionenonviolenta.it

Introduction

The Movimento Nonviolento (MN) is an Italian NGO founded in 1962 by Aldo Capitini.

The NGO’s goal is the rejection of violence, at the individual, group and international level, from social life. Therefore, MN thoroughly rejects war, economic exploitation, the system of oppression and all types of discrimination.

Its founders were Aldo Capitini (1989-1968), an Italian philosopher and one of the first that studied and promoted Gandhi’s nonviolence in Italy, and Pietro Pinna the first Italian conscientious objector to military service for nonviolent reasons. MN originated after the first Perugia-Assisi march, another Capitini’s idea: to refuse the war, thousands of people marched 30 kilometres from Perugia to Assisi in September 1961.

Purpose and Tools

Main purposes:

1. The integral opposition to war; 2. the struggle against economic exploitation and social injustice, political oppression and all forms of authoritarianism, privilege and nationalism, discrimination based on race, geographical origin, sex and religion 3. the development of associated life with respect for each individual culture, and the creation of bodies of democracy from below for the direct and responsible management by all of power, understood as a community service; 4. the preservation of the values of culture and the natural environment, which are precious assets for the present and the future, and whose destruction and contamination are another form of human violence.

Methodology: Nonviolence in theory and practice.

Tools: educational activities, the importance of small groups, the use of persuasion, acts of protest, civil disobedience, anitmilitarist campaigns and so on.

Where we are

National venue: Casa per la Nonviolenza (Nonviolence House) in Verona.

Local branches: Torino, Brescia, Mantova, Venezia, Vicenza, Ferrara, Reggio-Emilia, Modena, Livorno, Ghilarza, Roma-Fiumicino, Bari, Caserta, Trento, Pordenone, Palermo

Main activities:

• Publishing house

• Research centre

• Conferences and Workshops

• Training courses and summer camps

• Peace demonstrations and cultural exhibitions

• Commitment in local, national and international networks

Main current Nonviolent Campaigns: 

Another Defence Is Possible

Campaign aiming to create a nonviolent and unarmed Department at premiership level (National political level).

Italian Object War Campaign

It was launched by the Movimento Nonviolento in the aftermath of the Russian attack on Ukraine on 24 February 2022: a declaration of concrete support for conscientious objectors on the warring sides. Next steps: a legal mission and one to support the COs movement in Russia, strengthening the partnership with the Belarusian nonviolent exiles led by Olga Karatch, continuing to support the legal defence of COs in Ukraine, a gathering in Italy of women peace activists from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

 

Russia

cddhr

@FB  | @Youtube | @Telegram | @VK

The Movement of conscientious objectors to military service (MCO) was founded in 2014 in the format of an initiative group. The mission of the Movement defined as "the movement towards a free world without violence". In their activities, the members of the Movement adhere to the following principles: human rights, non-violence, non-discrimination, consciousness and solidarity. 

The main goals of MCO are:

1. Support of conscientious objectors by preparing methodological materials, providing juridical advice, and moral support.
2. Empowerment of conscientious objectors to protect their rights and help other conscientious objectors.
3. Forming a community of conscientious objectors.
4. Protection of public interests, such as: — opposition to militarization, particularly, the militarization of children and youth, — refusal of compulsory military service, — popularization and democratization of the institute of ACS, — transparency and effectiveness of the military administration, — peacebuilding. The Movement does not represent any specific region of the Russian Federation, it is an online initiative.

cddhrThe Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights (CDDHR) was created in 1998 as an independent non-profit non-governmental organization in Russia. CDDHR’s mission is the development of effective democratic institutions and the creation of sustainable mechanisms for human rights protection in Russia by influencing public policy in these areas, creating conditions for civic participation in decision making from local communities to the international level and empowering individuals and groups to play a more influential role in the communities they belong to. CDDHR strives to make democracy work for people living in Russia and to assist them in finding in democracy a practical meaning relevant for their lives.
 

The Russian-wide NGO "Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers of Russia" was established in April 1989. The Soldiers’ Mothers’ Committee of Russia was registered as a Russian-wide public organization at the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on June, 1st 1991.

Spain

Moviment per la Pau
 

Switzerland

zdZivildienst promotes civilian and social commitment. (After 33 years of commitment to, and the achieving of the recognition of conscientious objection in switzerland, zivildienst.ch fusionend with the swiss umbrella association for alternative civilian service CIVIVA (www.civiva.ch) in March 2014. For support or counseling please contact www.civiva.ch)

  • Promotes and defends the right to conscientious objection and strives to achieve a voluntary civilian alternative service that is fair, honoured by the state and society and open to all inhabitants
  • Supports individuals in objecting military service

Areas of work are:

  •  Counselling individuals and organisations
  •  Political lobbying
  •  Legal action

Catagories are:

  •  Peace
  •  Human Rights
  •  Redistribution of public resources
  •  violent-free conflict transformation

civiva

CIVIVA was founded in 2010 in Bern (Switzerland) by community service friendly and pacifist organizations, as the Swiss Civilian Service Umbrella Federation.
CIVIVA strives to achieve a voluntary civilian alternative service that is fair, honoured and by the state and society and open to all inhabitants.
CIVIVA commits itself to the concerns of Conscientious Objectors (CO) performing obligatory civilian service (Zivis) and institutions benefitting from their services.
CIVIVA demands good conditions of access to civilian service for COs. In particular this means no specific examination or other barriers, but a free choice between civilian and military service.
CIVIVA demands fair conditions for Zivis: the same service duration as in military service, and fair wages. This ensures that Zivis are motivated and committedAreas of work are:

  • Focus of CIVIVA is public relations and lobbying in politics and the public administration
  • Influencing legislation to improve conditions for and during civilian service
  • Network institutions interested in or benefiting from civilian service

Categories are:

  • Human rights
  • Redistribution of public resources
  • Promoting social commitment by civilians

Turkey

VR-DER

Conscientious Objection Watch monitors and reports the current situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey, the human rights violations they are experiencing, and the judicial processes they are going through. The initiative advocates for the recognition of the right to conscientious objection in Turkey. 

The initiative aims to increase public awareness on the right to conscientious objection in Turkey, inform the international community about the situation of conscientious objectors in Turkey, and develop an effective advocacy mechanism for the recognition of the right. 

For contact: vicdaniretizleme@gmail.com Social media: https://www.facebook.com/vicdaniretizleme , https://twitter.com/vrizleme , https://www.instagram.com/vicdaniretizleme/

Ukraine

upm

  •  PDF icon Ukrainian Pacifist Movement - Founded in 2019 by the participants of peaceful protests against conscription in Kyiv. Non-governmental, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization. Aim: to promote the right to peace, disarmament, the abolition of conscription, nonviolent resolution of conflicts, and democratic civilian control over military affairs.
  • Research group for conscription and human rights

United Kingdom

War Resisters' International (WRI) is an international anti-war organization with members and affiliates in over thirty countries. Its headquarters are in London, UK.
War Resisters' International was founded in Bilthoven, Netherlands in 1921 under the name "Paco". WRI adopted a founding declaration that has remained unchanged: “ War is a crime against humanity. I am therefore determined not to support any kind of war and to strive for the removal of all causes of war. ”
It adopted the broken rifle as its symbol in 1931.

CPTI is an international peace movement focussed on "Taxes for peace not war," seeking to direct taxes away from preparation for war and towards peace building. Its mission arises from the deep affront to our consciences that people are made to partici­pate in war as combatants, civilian victims and through taxation.
The ethical principle of freedom of conscience, a moral imperative governing the behaviour of an individual, is central to the objectives and work of CPTI.

  • CPTI aims to win recognition of the right to con­scientious objection to paying for armaments, war preparation and war conduct through taxes.
  • CPTI also supports the rights of conscientious objectors of all kinds and the worldwide recognition of human rights as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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