Moscow, July 11. (Sergei Chernyshev, corr. of ITAR-TASS). The declaration appealing to strive for adoption of Law on alternative civilian service as soon as possible was announced today at the press conference in Russian-&-American Information Press Center. This document was signed by 19 draftees who have refused to serve in army; members of Anti-Militarists' Radical Association (A.R.A.) have submitted this document to journalists.

According to information the secretary of A.R.A. Nikolai Khramov gave to the correspondent of ITAR-TASS agency, these draftees consciously expose themselves to a risk of criminal prosecution and penalty. According to Mr. Khramov, the goal of this collective action is adoption of mentioned Law as soon as possible. Mr. Khramov informed, that A.R.A. and Radical Party have started a campaign of gathering signatures under appeal "For right to refuse military service, against militarism" addressed to both Houses of Russian Parliament and to the president of Russian Federation.

The draft Federal Law "On alternative military service" was submitted to State Duma by members of Committee for defense and Committee of public unions' and religious organizations' affairs, and has already passed its first reading. Members of A.R.A. intend to strive for amendment of some articles of the Law. In particular, the Association strives for abolition of article on alternative civilian service duration excess in comparison with ordinary military service. It is also stressed, that no commissions should determine the grade of sincerity of a draftee's convictions that make him refuse military service.

Article 59 of Russian Federation Constitution renders a draftee a right to refuse military service by conviction; still, collaborators of military commissions, being "protected" by fact that the Law on alternative service was not adopted yet, won't fulfill the Article 59.

Translated into English by A.Prischenko, July 12, 1995