Inter­na­tio­nale Arbeit zu Kriegs­dienst­ver­wei­gerung und Deser­tion

Vitali Dvarashyn: The Story of how a Belarusian conscientious objector

Being caught in the millstones of two state systems in Lithuania and in Belarus

(16.07.2024) Some time ago, Lithuania claimed to be a safe democratic country, which in 2020 clearly declared its desire to save repressed Belarusians from the wrath of a mad dictator Alexander Lukashenko. But then it changed its mind. Vitali Dvarashyn is one of Belarusian conscientious objector to military service whom Lithuania decided to persecute and continues to hound, and it’s unclear how it will all end.

Mikita Sviryd: Die Geschichte eines belarussischen Deserteurs in Litauen

Gefangen zwischen der drohenden Todesstrafe in Belarus und dem illegalen Flüchtlingsstatus in Litauen

Mikita Sviryd, ein belarussischer Deserteur, der bei Ausbruch des Krieges in der Ukraine illegal nach Litauen floh, weil er befürchtete, die belarussische Armee würde in die Ukraine gehen, um Russland zu helfen. Heute ist Mikita ein illegaler Flüchtling, Litauen hat dem jungen Deserteur politisches Asyl verweigert. In Belarus kann Desertion mit der Todesstrafe geahndet werden. Heute ist er verzweifelt und erwartet nichts Gutes für seine Zukunft. Was bedeutet für die Geopolitik das Schicksal eines Mannes, der im Alter von 19 Jahren beschloss, nicht mehr Soldat zu sein? #protection4Nikita

Mikita Sviryd: The story of a Belarusian deserter in Lithuania

Stuck between the threat of death penalty in Belarus and illegal refugee status in Lithuania

Mikita Sviryd, a Belarusan deserter who, when the war started in Ukraine, fled illegally to Lithuania because he was afraid that the Belarusan army would go to Ukraine to help Russia. Today Mikita is an illegal refugee, Lithuania has denied the young deserter political asylum. In Belarus, desertion can be punishable by death penalty. Today, he is desperate and expects nothing good in his future. What is for geopolitics the fate of one guy who at the age of 19 decided to give up being a soldier? #protection4Nikita

Digest April 2024

Newsletter

(04.06.2024) My dears, hello to everyone!
April was marked by the beginning of another conscription campaign in Russia and reforms of the military enlistment system in Moscow. The Russian government promised and finally adopted the latest regulatory act on the electronic registry of military service and electronic summons: with all these rules, we are facing a rather difficult end of the year. In Armenia, there was the second abduction of a Russian serviceman in five months. We believe
that it was carried out by the Russian military police and we are actively monitoring
the situation. And our organisation, together with colleagues from Ukraine and Belarus,
was awarded the Peace Prize by IPB! Enjoy reading!