If anti-war activists are behind bars while regimes shake hands
— that’s not a peace negotiation, it’s a dirty deal.
Fundamental rights — in both Russia and Ukraine — are not up for trade.
— representative of the French Left in PACE
At the PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) session on June 24, French left-wing MP Sofia Chikirou strongly advocated for demands related to supporting anti-war resistance within Russia, as well as for an end to the persecution of conscientious objectors and human rights violations in Ukraine. These demands were formulated by left-wing activists from both countries in exile, in particular by the Union of Post-Soviet Leftists.
Here are excerpts from the MP’s speech:
“From the very beginning of the conflict, La France Insoumise has upheld a very clear political stance, and I personally submitted a resolution calling for a general amnesty for all political prisoners, deserters, and conscientious objectors. Because I am convinced: peace will only be possible when everyone is granted the right to return to their country.”
Yes, Russia is an authoritarian regime that imprisons the opposition. But international institutions, including the UN Committee Against Torture, have also expressed concern and criticized Article 111-1 of Ukraine’s military legislation. More than 10,000 people are being prosecuted in Ukraine under the Criminal Code article on ‘collaboration.’ Take, for example, the case of Viktoriya Krikunova, who was charged simply for continuing to work at an employment agency in occupied territory… We also want to speak about the Ukrainian pacifist movement and anti-war activists facing intimidation — such as Yurii Sheliazhenko, who was charged with ‘justifying Russian aggression’ merely for publishing a peace appeal in which he explicitly condemned that aggression.
We all firmly condemn Vladimir Putin’s brutal aggression against Ukraine. Together, we demand the immediate return of the thousands of deported Ukrainian children and justice for the war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been committed.
But the proposed draft resolution completely ignores the internal resistance in Russia. Today, more than 3,000 Russian political prisoners are behind bars for daring to speak out against the war. Around 50,000 Russians have deserted to avoid taking part in this criminal invasion. These men and women risk their lives every day. They are persecuted, tortured, and imprisoned — like Boris Kagarlitsky, Alexei Gorinov, or Azat Miftakhov, who have each been sentenced twice for their anti-war stance. We cannot abandon them.
And it is our duty to ensure that political activists, trade unionists, and conscientious objectors are not accused of ‘collaboration’ in violation of international law — as pointed out by the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Committee Against Torture. If we want to remain true to our principles — international law, fundamental human rights, and global justice — we must firmly condemn Putin’s criminal regime, support the internal resistance in Russia, and stand with civic initiatives such as People First.
But we must also lay the groundwork for a just peace — one based on a general amnesty and the right of political refugees to return home. We are duty-bound to demand full respect for fundamental freedoms — both in Russia and in Ukraine.”
It is worth noting that two of the amendments proposed by left-wing deputies — one highlighting the repression of anti-war activists in Russia, and the other calling for a general amnesty — were adopted by the Assembly. Another amendment, which called for rejecting support for martial law and the curtailment of human rights in Ukraine, was rejected by votes from the far right and liberal groups.
