#Ukrainian conscientious objector and journalist #RuslanKotsaba will be on trial again on September 20th. Support #Kotsaba with your actions ahead of his trial!
Kotsaba, president of the #Ukrainian #Pacifist Movement, is accused of treason and obstructing #military operations for his expressions calling for #peace in a video he posted in 2015. In the video, Kotsaba was calling to boycott military mobilisation for the #conflict in Eastern #Ukraine.
Kotsaba had already spent 524 days under #arrest for his expressions opposing the #war and was duly acquitted in 2016. His retrial is a clearly politically motivated #persecution which must end immediately. Furthermore he was attacked by neo-Nazis several times and seriously wounded. For background and more information on Ruslan’s case, see here.
War Resisters’ International ( #WRI ), European Bureau for Conscientious Objection ( #EBCO ) and Connection e.V. are calling for #international actions ahead of Kotsaba’s next hearing, scheduled to take place on September 20th.
What can you do?
- Write to the #Prosecutor General of Ukraine demanding an end to his #prosecution. You can use our template letter which can be reached here.
- Organize a #vigil in front of an Ukrainian #embassy or #consulate in your country. You can find the list of Ukrainian embassies here.
- Ask #politicians in your country to support Ruslan Kotsaba by sending a letter to the Ukrainian authorities and/or the Prosecutor General.
Please contact us about your activities via actionruslankotsaba@Connection-eV.org.
WRI, EBCO and Connection e.V. are standing in #solidarity with Ruslan Kotsaba. We urge the Ukrainian #government to end his prosecution and to ensure that all #pacifists, in Ukraine, including the #activists of Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, are able to freely express their opinions and continue their non-violent activity. We also urge the Ukrainian government to safeguard the right to #ConscientiousObjection to military service, according to the European and international standards.
