Peace Education – Page 3 – IPB – International Peace Bureau

Torture, detention, and denial of alternative service: EBCO calls on Ukraine to uphold the right to conscientious objection

English | Ukrainian. Please see the Ukrainian version below.

Press release by European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO)

The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) condemns the torture and death in military custody of Ukrainian conscientious objector Dmytro Koval and calls on Ukraine to immediately end the persecution, arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of conscientious objectors, adopt legislation guaranteeing alternative civilian service in wartime, and ensure accountability for all abuses committed during mobilisation.

Save Jeju Now: We condemn the attempted offshore rocket launch by the military, Hanwha, and the Jeju Provincial Government!

Photo by Hwang Yong-woon, June 30, 2026

Photo by Hwang Yong-woon, June 30, 2026

On June 30, the military and Hanwha attempted to conduct the fourth test of a solid-propellant space launch vehicle off the coast of Seogwipo, Jeju, but were ultimately forced to cancel it [mainly due to technical reasons]. This occurred less than a month after the explosion at Hanwha Aerospace in Daejeon.

An investigation into the cause of the explosion at Hanwha Aerospace in Daejeon has revealed some facts. Hanwha has consistently ignored workers’ requests to improve their working conditions. Furthermore, Building 56—the explosives cleaning facility where the tragedy occurred—was an unlicensed structure.

IPB Statement on the Detention and Deportation of Executive Director Sean Conner and other Activists in Istanbul on 3 July 2026

Monday, 6 July 2026

The International Peace Bureau (IPB) unequivocally condemns the detention and deportation of its Executive Director, Sean Conner, alongside other activists from Germany, Finland, and Italy. Upon arrival at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International Airport at 17:27 local time on Friday, 3 July, Sean had his passport and cell phone confiscated and was subjected to two hours of interrogation, including scans of his fingerprints and mugshot photographs. Turkish authorities repeatedly lied about the reasons for the interrogation and claimed that the reason for the check was a flagging by the German authorities, who denied any involvement.

From Harm to Justice: A Needs-Based Assessment of Nuclear-Affected Communities in Kazakhstan and Policy Pathways for Implementing Articles 6 and 7 of the TPNW

In June 2026, the Qazaq Nuclear Frontline Coalition (QNFC) published a policy paper examining the ongoing humanitarian, health, environmental, and intergenerational consequences of Soviet nuclear detonations in Kazakhstan and outlining community-informed policy pathways for nuclear justice, victim assistance, environmental remediation, and the implementation of Articles 6 and 7 of the TPNW.

On June 26, Civil Society Stands with Victims of Torture

Press Release

ST. PAUL, Minn. — To honor the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 120 civil society organizations joined together in a statement of solidarity with survivors. As the world commemorates this date, the authors call upon the United States and global leaders to uphold their obligations under the Convention Against Torture to support survivors, ensure accountability, and reject inhumane and cruel practices.

Civil Society Statement on International Day in Support of Victims of Torture – June 26

On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, we stand in solidarity with survivors worldwide and sound the alarm about policies and actions that threaten the legal protections and weaken human rights mechanisms created to prevent and punish acts of torture and abuse.

EU Military Spending: What You Need to Know

This report is produced by Transnational Institute (TNI), European Network Against the Arms Trade (ENAAT), and Stop Wapenhandel.

Factsheet 1 | EU Military Spending until 2027: From ‘Peace Project’ to Arms Investor

Discover how the European Union’s military spending has expanded dramatically in recent years, reshaping priorities, budgets, and policies across Europe. Download the factsheet for key figures, funding mechanisms, and insights into the shift from a self-described “peace project” to a major investor in defence and arms production.

FactSheet 1 Full details

Open Letter: “Security for Whom?”

Civil society organisations from across the spectrum urge EU decision-makers to reject the military budget surge and invest in human security instead

Europe faces a choice: fund militarisation or invest in people. Ahead of crucial EU budget negotiations, civil society organisations call on leaders to prioritise health, housing, education, climate action and peacebuilding over a proposed €131 billion surge in defence spending.

Open Letter initiated by TNI, ENAAT, Stop ReArm Europe

Click here to open and download the letter: “Security for Whom?” Civil society organisations from across the spectrum urge EU decision-makers to reject the military budget surge and invest in human security instead

A slightly adapted version of this letter will be sent to Members of the European Parliament at a later stage. It is still open to signatures from civil society groups and organisations. If your group or organisation wants to sign on, please contact j.solanki[@]tni.org. You can also read the letter here.

Call for a Campaign to Support Deserters in Europe

The authorities of the European Union are currently discussing harsh measures aimed at restricting the entry of Russian citizens who have taken part in combat, including those who refused to continue the war. These measures are already becoming reality: several European states are systematically denying asylum to Russian deserters, accusing them of “complicity” and depriving them of any possibility of finding safe refuge. This is happening even though many Russian citizens were forcibly compelled to serve in the army – pressure that continues to intensify.

Peace in Palestine: Civil Society’s Road Map

A conference entitled ‘Two peoples, two states, one future’ was held in Paris, during which an alternative proposal to the ‘Trump plan’ was drawn up. Numerous governments were present, but not Italy

On Friday 12 June in Paris, at the magnificent headquarters of the Arab World Institute, the second conference for peace between Israelis and Palestinians was held, convened by the French government under the banner of “2Peoples2States1Future”. This extraordinary event, attended by over 150 representatives of Israeli and Palestinian civil society, was initiated and organised with great commitment and involvement by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean Noël Barrot, who placed the Palestinian and Middle East issues on the agenda of the G7 summit, chaired by France, thereby giving a voice and legitimacy to the proposals of Israeli and Palestinian civil society organisations committed to a lasting peace and coexistence between the two peoples.