[Solidarity Rally with Conscientious Objectors / Refugees from Russia and Thailand]

On Wednesday, 17 May, a rally was held along the route from the Presidential Office in Yongsan to the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul. The rally stood in solidarity with Russian refugees who had refused to take part in Russia’s war and had come to Korea in pursuit of freedom and peace, as well as with Thailand’s first conscientious objector. Participants called on the Korean government to grant refugee status to Russian nationals and urged the Thai government to recognize the right to conscientious objection.

Below is the press release from the rally.

Solidarity Rally with Conscientious Objectors / Refugees from Russia and Thailand The Korean Government Must Recognize Russian Refugees The Thai Government Must Recognize the Right to Conscientious Objection

Greetings of peace.

May 15 is the International Day of Conscientious Objection. In Korea, various events have been held on this day each year since 2003. Activists have called on the Korean government to introduce an alternative service system and to release conscientious objectors, and have organized solidarity actions with objectors from countries including Israel, Turkey, and Colombia. This year, the day is marked by a joint rally organized by Korean civil society groups, standing in solidarity with conscientious objectors and refugees from Russia and Thailand.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, large numbers of Russians who do not wish to participate in the war have been leaving their homes. After Putin’s mobilization order last September, the number of people fleeing Russia rose sharply, and some of them came to Korea to seek refugee status. According to available information, more than 200 Russians have arrived at Incheon Airport and attempted to apply for refugee status, but their applications were refused outright. Five of them are currently taking legal action against the Korean government. Courts have ruled that the government’s denial of even the opportunity to undergo screening is contrary to the Refugee Act, yet the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) continues to hold these individuals in de facto detention at immigration centers while refusing to recognize their eligibility for screening.

Thailand is a country with compulsory military service. Although the Thai military has not fought a war in the last hundred years, it has staged at least twelve coups, posing a serious threat to Thai democracy. Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal is Thailand’s first conscientious objector; he declared his objection to military service at the age of eighteen. He has since become a prominent human rights activist deeply involved in Thailand’s pro-democracy movement and is also the person who proposed the Milk Tea Alliance, a solidarity network for pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand. A devout Buddhist, Netiwit once ordained as a monk, but has since returned to lay life in order to complete the conscientious objection process. He is now engaged in legal proceedings, and because he is Thailand’s first conscientious objector, the outcome of his case is difficult to predict. Netiwit visited Korea and, on 15 May, delivered a lecture titled “Thai Democracy, Civic Resistance, and Conscientious Objection.” On 16 May, he testified at an international conference, “How Do We Resist the Arms Trade?”, about how Korean-made water cannons have been used to undermine Thai democracy.

At this rally in solidarity with conscientious objectors and refugees from Russia and Thailand, participants stand with the Russian refugees who refused to join the war and came to Korea for freedom and peace, and with Thailand’s first conscientious objector, Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal. The rally calls on the Korean government to recognize Russian refugees at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, and then moves to the Thai Embassy to urge the Thai government to recognize the rights of Thai conscientious objectors. Zelda Grimshaw, a peace activist from Australia, Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, and human rights and peace activists and citizens from Korea will all take part.

We warmly invite journalists who work for democracy, human rights, and peace to cover this event.

Inquiries: Choi Jeong-min (World Without War, 010-7261-1861). End.