Program "Liberty Life", July 11, 1995, 4:00 PM

IN SPITE OF THE RIGHT TO REFUSE MILITARY SERVICE BY CONVICTION ENSURED BY THE RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION, STATE DUMA HAS NOT ADOPTED THE DRAFT LAW ON ALTERNATIVE SERVICE IN ARMY UP TO NOW. MEANWHILE, A NUMBER OF DRAFTEES REFUSED TO SERVE BY RELIGIOUS AND PACIFISTS CONVICTION INCREASES. CORR. GHULNORA KHASANOVA WITH DETAILED RELEASE.

MOSCOW ANTI-MILITARISTS' ASSOCIATION HAS DISTRIBUTED A COLLECTIVE DECLARATION FOR REFUSAL OF MILITARY SERVICE SIGNED BY 20 YOUNG MEN. YURI KUROCHKIN, 18, MOSCOWER, IS AMONG THEM. IN HIS INTERVIEW WITH JOURNALIST OF RADIO LIBERTY, HE INFORMED THAT CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS WERE INSTITUTED AGAINST HIM FOR MILITARY SERVICE EVASION. ACCORDING TO YURI, HE HAS ACTED SO CONSCIOUSLY, BECAUSE HE WON'T SERVE IN ARMY THAT FIGHTS ITS OWN PEOPLE; AND MANY SUCH DECLARATIONS COME TO THE ASSOCIATION.

MEANWHILE, RUSSIAN LAW BODIES HAVE ADDRESSES TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE PARLIAMENT OF RUSSIA WITH AN APPEAL FOR AMENDING LAW ON ALTERNATIVE SERVICE IN ORDER TO BRING IT TO CONFORMANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATIVE STANDARDS IN THE SPHERE OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION. IN PARTICULAR, IT IS PROPOSED TO INCLUDE A RIGHT TO CHOOSE A PLACE AND KIND OF WORK OF DRAFTEES TO THE DRAFT LAW. THE DURATION OF SERVICE SHOULD NOT EXCEED THE DURATION OF ORDINARY MILITARY SERVICE. ORDINARILY IT MAKES NOW TWO YEARS, WHILE FOR THOSE WHO CHOSE THE ALTERNATIVE SERVICE, THE DURATION MAKES THREE AND A HALF YEARS.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE NUMBER OF THOSE WHO REFUSED MILITARY SERVICE IN RUSSIA INCREASES. ACCORDING TO MOSCOW CITY MILITARY COMMISSION INFORMED A JOURNALIST OF RADIO LIBERTY, IN MOSCOW ONLY THREE OF EVERY TEN DRAFTEES HAVE PUT ON UNIFORMS. OTHERS, USING VARIOUS PRETENSES, HAVE EVADED SERVICE. IF IT GOES ON LIKE THIS, OFFICERS SAY, NOBODY WILL SERVE IN RUSSIAN ARMY. ACCORDING TO NON-OFFICIAL INFORMATION, A PROLONGATION COSTS ONE MILLION RUSSIAN RUBLES, AND IN SOME PLACES IT COSTS THREE, SO FOR WELL-TO-DO PARENTS THERE IS NO PROBLEM OF OBLIGATORY DRAFT.

GHULNORA KHASANOVA, RADIO LIBERTY, MOSCOW

Translated into English by A.Prischenko, July 12, 1995