EUROPEAN CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS DAY: MANIFESTATION OF RADICAL PARTY AND ARA AT THE STATE DUMA

Moscow, May 15, 1998 -- Fifteen activists of the Transnational Radical Party (TRP) and Antimilitarist Radical Association (ARA) have demonstrated today near the State Duma in Okhotny Ryad to defend rights of conscientious objectors in Russia as well as in other countries, also for liberation of Osman Murat Ulke, young Turkish conscientious objector recently sentenced in Istanbul to a new 7-month prison term.

Demonstrators also urged the State Duma to pass as soon as possible the federal law on alternative civilian service which must strengthen the conscientious objection right guaranteed by the Article 59 Comma 3 of the Russian Constitution.

15th of May is being celebrated in several countries as the European Conscientious Objectors Day.