To State Duma, to Federal Council, to the President of Russian Federation

A right to refuse military service for reasons of conscience and to replace it by an alternative civilian service is one of basic civic rights. It is authorized by many international legislative documents, in particular, by resolutions of the UN and the European Parliament.

Russian Federation seems to remain the only European country where a legislative mechanism of such right realization is absent up to now, though Article 59 on the new Constitution of Russian Federation guarantees a right to refuse military service for reasons of convictions.

No doubt, the draft Federal Law "On Alternative Civilian Service" having been elaborated and passed in first reading in State Duma is a step forward.

We realize, that mighty powers in Russia do not want that Law. They are interested in millions and millions of young men standing up under arms.

Opposition activity against the Law on alternative civilian service has already started, and it will probably increase. Nevertheless, we must not omit numerous shortages of the draft Law.

We, citizens of Russia and other countries, sign this letter, and appeal to both Houses of Russian Parliament and to the President of Russia to consider our opinion in what the Law on alternative civilian service should be, to wit:

1. A right to refuse military service for reasons of convictions should be a universal civic right. Any convictions, including reasons of morals, should be a legal reason for rendering an alternative civilian service.

2. Rendering of an alternative civilian service should be carried out by registering, not by allowance. No commission, military or half-military (including civilian persons), should define the grade of sincerity of draftees' convictions.

3. Duration of an alternative civilian service should not exceed the duration of ordinary military service.

4. A man directed to an alternative civilian service should have a right to choose a place and a kind of his work. The Law should provide a possibility of passing alternative civilian service abroad of Russia, including participation in humanitarian operations under the aegis of UN.

5. An alternative civilian service financing should be carried out at the expense of adequate means being taken from defense budget and transferred to budgets of departments responsible for organization of an alternative civilian service, for instance, Ministry of labour.

Only the described form of the Law on alternative civilian service will not only correspond to international authorized standards in the sphere of human rights, but will carry out an important social function promoting Russian society demilitarization and conversion of military state bodies to civilian ones.