Alex Belik, 25 years old, is lawyer, lived in St Petersburg and is member of the Movement of Conscientious Objectors of Russia. Since April 2022 he lives in Talinn/Estland. He is working for the Finnish peace organization Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto AKL.
Work
June 2022 – today: lawyer at Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto AKL
Sept. 2020 – today: supporter of the Russian Party Jabloko, St. Petersburg
Sept. 2017 – today: lawyer at the Russian LGBT Network, St. Petersburg
October 2016 – today: Member of the Council of Observers, St. Petersburg
April 2016 – today: coordinator of the Movement of Conscientious Objectors of Russia
June 2017 – Febr. 2020: Participant of the International Youth Human Rights Move-ment (YHRM)
June 2016 – June 2019: Participant to Monitor legal proceedings by Civil Control
May 2016 – Dec. 2017: lawyer at RosOtvet (RosReport)
Higher Education
September 2021 – today: Master Studies “Empiric Law Studies”, European University, St. Petersburg
2019: BA in “Jurisdiction” at State University of St. Petersburg
Post on his Facebook-Account (24.05.2022)
I’m launching a petition for the abolition of urgent service in the Russian army. Three months ago, on February 24, the war in Ukraine became full-scale, but it has been go-ing on for more than 8 years. I have recently read some good reflections on the fact that pacifism historically emerged in imperial countries as an idea to stop one’s own country from attacking another. I still believe that the main way to stop Russia in this war is to make sure no one comes to war. And those who came – broke the contracts and returned home to their mothers, wives and husbands.
War Is Not For My Name. On my behalf – an anti-war petition via the link in the com-ments. It was prepared together with Russian anti-war activists.
Sign the petition and share the link to it! I urge all politicians of Russia and Europe not to be silent. The tense war causes fatigue in the audience, but our confrontation to the war and solidarity with Ukraine must not stop.
Glory to Ukraine! Russia will be free!
Petition of Alex Belik on Change.org (Mai 2022)
My colleagues and I are anti-war activists who have seen many petitions to abolish the draft launched by various people and organizations. I have always supported such initiatives, but I have never launched them myself. Because I understand that it is hard to achieve results. Practically impossible. But as human rights defenders we must set ourselves unachievable goals. Now we see how many people come to human rights organizations in order to avoid being drafted or to refuse to take part in the war. Most of these people are driven by fear.
Fear of conscription is normal. Fear of violence is a completely natural reaction of the body. We, too, are afraid. We are afraid of war. We are afraid of death. We are afraid of being drafted. And we are not ashamed of our fear. Today we appeal to the deputies. Be brave, declare your anti-war stance. Stop keeping people in fear!
We also appeal to all draftees. Do not join the draftee army while it still exists. You can free yourself from slavery for free and on your own. Don’t let others capitalize on your fears, work with them yourself.
Remember:
- Forcibly conscripted into the army is not allowed – appeal the actions of the “military en-listment office” to the prosecutor’s office and the court.
- Prepare and attach medical documents to the “military enlistment office” in order to be released on health grounds.
- Apply for alternative civilian service in order to postpone the question with draft or really go for alternative civilian service.
The war is not on my behalf – the Russians refuse to fight in Ukraine
Facebook Post (26.04.2022)
In October 2021, the Soldiers Mothers of St. Petersburg stopped helping soldiers because of FSB ban on the collection of information about the “moral and psychological climate” in the army. I am not obliged to obey the orders of the FSB. Therefore, I began to collect in one document all the news about Russian’s refusals to fight in Ukraine. For me, as a conscientious objector from Russia, it is important to see that not every soldier is going to kill Ukrainians. I try to make the maximum possible fact-check of these news. (…) Send stories not mentioned in the doc to stopwarua22@gmail.com.
Slava Ukraine. Russia will be free.
Facebook Post (08.04.2022)
I realized that I do not agree with Russian official rhetoric at the age of 16 years – in 2013. Then the Revolution of dignity happened in Ukraine, and the media to which I subscribed for some reason began to call it an unconstitutional coup.
I’ve been deep in thought . After the murder of Boris Nemtsov in 2015, I learned about Anna Politkovskaya and Ludmila Alekseeva. These people are Heroes of Russia. The Russia that I love. The Russia, in which I will return.
I categorically do not accept war and on February 24, 2022, I realized that in the com-ing years I will do everything again to ensure that the maximum number of people re-fused military service in the ranks of the Russian army. So that maximum number of people would stop being afraid of the military commander and be ready to fight him. I will be more useful to my country abroad, which is not bound by the “current legisla-tion of the Russian Federation”, I can say what I think and do what I want. I love Russia, I am a patriot, but I hope for the protection and support of the Estonian Government and EU authorities.
Russia will be free.