The Russians are afraid to go out into the streets. Putin “hunts” on conscripts
Timofiej Waskin, a lawyer from the human rights project “Professional school” [Szkoła poborowego]says that illegal detention have become massive this year. Young men are most often detained in the Moscow subway, which is facilitated by the face recognition system. Policemen are stationed at every metro station.
Artiom, a student who was appointed to the army in the autumn of 2024 without medical examinations, was detained in the Moscow subway and transported to the police station. The officers did not want to inform him on what basis he was caught. Artiom is not only in bachelor's studies and has the right to postpone the service, but also doctors diagnosed mental disorders.
From the unit, the young man was taken to the unified Pobowych Center. His father managed to give him all medical documents, the doctors checked them and sent him for additional examinations to the psychiatric hospital. Ultimately, the conscript was rejected.
Military committees have already tried to send conscripts to the army by virtue of last year's decision – this illegal practice has become the norm in Moscow since 2024 – emphasize the representatives of the organization of human rights. Last week, the state pride adopted Act extending the validity of the decision to take up to one year – Earlier it was valid only during the period of consumption in which it was taken. However, the Act did not enter into force – it has not yet been approved by the Federation Council and signed by Vladimir Putin.
Russians in a gate situation
Initially, the bill was to work back. Ultimately, however, after the second reading, the clause was removed from the document – that is, the old decisions will be used only in the autumn project.
The most important thing is not to lead to a situation in which a person will be attacked.
Human rights defenders recommend the inhabitants of Moscow to move to another region for the duration of consumption and register in the local military collection office. Lawyers advise that the inhabitants of other Russian regions find an important reason for not being called to the place of service – for example, it can be a disease.
Another known case of forced collection to the army happened to a young man at the station on the way to work – says the organization “Iditie Liesom” [Idź lasem]which helps to avoid consumption or desert. – The officers entered the wagon and asked him to get off. They checked the documents and said that you should go to the police room. To the question why, they answered that the military conscript office placed him on the list of wanted – say human rights defenders.
The man had all medical documents confirming that it is not subject to conscription: several ophthalmological conclusions with a visual deduction -6.5. Policemen demanded a passport from him, but refused, saying that he would stop the phone, passport and medical documents in his hands. He gave the rest.
The worst scenarios
– They took my official ID, turned her in my hands and said that I had to have a passport so that I would not run away. They said that if I disagree, they handcuff me and take my things – says the young man.
Ivan Czuwilajew, a representative of the “Iditie Liesom” movement, says New Gazieta that the consorted finally left the police room “unscathed” and was not taken to any recruitment center. – It ended well for him because he had all the documents with him that he had serious vision problems and is not eligible for collection. He was released, but he was ordered to go to the recruitment center for further medical examinations. However, this is not necessary because he has already undergone medical examinations – adds Czuwilajew.
Russians in the Conscript Center, Moscow, October 2024, Related photo
Human rights organizations emphasize that the best way to protect yourself in this case is having documents (or copies of documents) confirming the postponement. These can be not only medical documents, but also, for example, an application for an alternative civil service.
It is possible to “pull” a person during a raid when he is at the police station – emphasizes Timofiej Waskin. Neither a lawyer nor relatives will be allowed into the Military Conscript Bureau or collection point, and often it is not even possible to provide documents there.
So the problem is not that the police stops men in the subway and check their documents, citing the fact that they found him on cameras – agrees Ivan Czuwilajew. The main difficulties appear later when the man is forcibly taken to one conscript office and try to formalize the consumption in one day.
Modern hunting
– It is much more difficult to protect yourself from this problem. You must be in contact with your relatives and a lawyer and turn on the alarm as soon as possible, while the conscript is still taken to the center – says Czuwilajew.
The raids are illegal – Human rights defenders say, with whom the new gas was talked about. The military conscript office has the right to call for a conscript only by means of a call, and medical examinations, a conscription committee and sending to the collection point cannot take place on the same day.
– We do not know if the cameras are indeed recognized by people who did not appear at the call to the Military Pullness Office. So, putting on medical masks to avoid stopping in the subway will not help in the fight against raids. The most important thing that we can say is that you should definitely not go to the Military Recruitment Center based on the fact that you can be stopped in the subway – emphasizes the representative of the “Iditie Liesom” movement.
Lawyer of the “Prizyw K-Sowiesti” project [Apel do sumienia] He reminds that after strict changes in the Act “on military duty and military service”, adopted in 2023, it became possible to involve operating police officers in search of conscripts. – These officers have access to telephone billing, video cameras, various databases: health, education. So modern hunting on conscripts with cameras is unfortunately legal – adds the interlocutor.
He also reminds that men are persuaded to sign a contract before consumption, urging them to go to war in Ukraine.
