(Moscow, July 11) - Press conference of the Anti-militarist Radical Association (A.R.A.) took place today in Russian American Press & Information Center. It was organized in order to support to the collective conscientious objection undertaken by 19 young men ("Declaration of 19").

Press conference was chaired by Nikolaj KHRAMOV, secretary of A.R.A. Two of authors of the "Declaration of 19" - members of A.R.A. Maksim KOSTJURIN and Jurij KUROCHKIN; Valentina MELNIKOVA, member of the A.R.A.'s Provisional Coordination Council and press secretary of Russian Committee of Soldiers' Mothers; Sergej SOROKIN, member of A.R.A. and president of Movement Against Violence; Galina SEVRUK and Ida KUKLINA, members of Coordination Council of Russian Committee of Soldiers' Mothers have taken part in it.

In his introductory speech, Nikolaj Khramov underlined the importance of this first collective non-violent action in spirit of Ghandi - an action which could aid the soonest passing of a good conscientious objection bill in the State Duma. He also informed journalists about the course of Radical Party's and A.R.A. petition campaign "For conscientious objection right, against militarism".

Maksim Kostjurin, the first subscriber of the "Declaration of 19" declared that although he knows that his conscientious objection is in a full accordance with Art. 59 of Russian Constitution, nevertheless he is absolutely ready to face the criminal persecution and imprisonment.

Valentina Melnikova said that amount of conscientious objectors in Russia is not so high yet: hundreds of thousands of young men don't want to serve just on the opportunist reason but not on reasons of conscience. She also expressed hope, that many young Russian anti-militarists will follow the example of 19 conscientious objectors.

Sergej Sorokin informed about his successful efforts to give a judicial support to the conscientious objectors in trials - no objector was till now arrested.

In press conference participated representatives of 22 Russian and foreign mass media, as well as representative of Department of Information of the Defence Ministry.