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Press Release of the Antimilitarist Radical Association (ARA)

Moscow, September 27, 1997

For Immediate Release

Activists of the ARA will mark the beginning the regular autumn military draft campaign by holding a symbolic action on the Red Square for the right on information for conscripts. On Wednesday, October 1, exactly at noon fifteen demonstrators dressed in T-shirts with logo of ARA and slogan "Military Draft? No Thanks!" would lie down on stone pavement, forming by their bodies the figures "59.3" - this is the article in Russian Constitution which guarantees to every citizen conscientious objection right regarding military service. This action is being undertaken by the ARA in order to draw public attention to the dramatic lack of information about constitutional right on conscientious objection, information so vitally needed by hundreds of thousands of young Russians.

Unfortunately, there is no reason for doubt: the regular draft campaign beginning on October 1, as previous draft campaigns, would go in absence of federal conscientious objection bill whose draft is already for three years imprisoned in Rokhlin's defence committee of the State Duma, in conditions of misinformation of conscripts about their constitutional rights, in conditions of lie, harassments or even direct violence against those decided to stand up for their conscientious objection right guaranteed by Constitution, a document of direct action and highest juridical force.

But this year's autumn draft campaign will be characterized also by an other circumstance. It will go under sign of the Civil Obedience Campaign, developing in Moscow and in the whole Russia -- a campaign to inform and agitate conscripts, a campaign which has been launched in May this year by ARA and "Particular Case" program on TV-6 Moscow channel, a campaign whose aim is to increase up to 7,000 amount of those who declare openly about their conscientious objection in accordance with Art. 59.3 of Russian Constitution. During the last spring draft campaign, 675 citizens successfully objected military service on reasons of conscience, presenting to the military enlistment commissions their requests about alternative civilian service. Increasing up to ten times amount of those who demand alternative civilian service and therefore does not go to barracks, would make impossible further references that the law is not necessary constantly being made by its enemies in Okhotnyj Rjad and Arbat Square.

After finishing the action on Red Square pavement, there would be held a short press conference with participation of ARA leadership, dedicated to the beginning autumn draft campaign and re-launching Civil Obedience Campaign. The names of press conference participants would be made public additionally, on Monday.

For more information:

tel. +7-095-923.9127

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Antimilitarist Radical Association (ARA)

Ul. Trubnaja 25-2-49, 103051 Moscow, Russia

Tel./fax: +7-095-923.9127

E-mail: ARA@glasnet.ru

Internet URL: http://www.glasnet.ru/~ara