"Racurs" program, July 11, 1995, 7:15 PM

DECLARATION FOR COLLECTIVE REFUSAL OF MILITARY SERVICE WAS SIGNED BY NINETEEN YOUNG MEN WHO ARE TO BE DRAFTED. TODAY JOURNALISTS GOT ACQUAINTED WITH THE DOCUMENT AND WITH THOSE WHO REFUSED TO SERVE. WITH DETAILS -- OUR CORRESPONDENT ALEXEI TERESCHENKO.

"WE EXPOSE OURSELVES TO A RISK OF CRIMINAL PROSECUTION CONSCIOUSLY. OUR ACT IS A COLLECTIVE ACTION OF GHANDI NON-VIOLENCE SPIRITS AIMED TOWARDS ADOPTION OF THE LAW ON ALTERNATIVE CIVILIAN SERVICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,"-- WRITE AUTHORS OF THE COLLECTIVE DECLARATION FOR REFUSAL OF MILITARY SERVICE. THIS ACT WAS SUPPORTED BY SEVERAL LAW PROTECTION ORGANIZATION, SUCH AS ANTI-MILITARISTS' RADICAL ASSOCIATION AND COMMITTEE OF SOLDIERS' MOTHERS.

ON TUESDAY, TWO OF NINETEEN YOUNG MEN -- MAXIM KOSTIURIN AND YURI KUROCHKIN -- ANSWERED QUESTIONS OF JOURNALISTS. FIRST OF THEM HAS SUBMITTED A DECLARATION TO A MILITARY COMMISSION FOR PASSING AN ALTERNATIVE SERVICE. WHEN THEY DENIED IT, HE APPEALED TO A COURT. KUROCHKIN HAS REFUSED TO SERVE IN 1992, WHEN THERE WAS NO ARTICLE ON ALTERNATIVE SERVICE IN RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION. HE WAS TRIED PROBATIONALLY FOR EVASION. LIKE KOSTIURIN, KUROCHKIN TRIED TO FIND JUSTICE IN A COURT, BUT ALSO UNSUCCESSFULLY.

"YOU MUST BE WAITING FOR AN ARREST EVERY MINUTE AFTER YOU DECLARATION?"-- I ASKED THE GUYS. KOSTIURIN ANSWERED, THAT HE FEARS NOTHING. HE IS READY TO GET IMPRISONED FOR HIS CONVICTION. KUROCHKIN WON'T BE A PRISONER, BUT IS READY TO STRUGGLE FOR THE IDEA. A DIFFICULT FINANCIAL SITUATION IN HIS FAMILY HAS ALSO INFLUENCED HIS DECISION NOT TO SERVE IN THE ARMY.

LAWYERS PRESENT AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE COULD NOT SAY EXACTLY HOW MANY MOSCOWERS REFUSED MILITARY SERVICE. A REPRESENTATIVE OF COMMITTEE OF SOLDIERS' MOTHERS SAID, THAT EVERY MONDAY THEY MEET WITH ABOUT 300 DRAFTEES, AND A HALF OF THEN DON'T WANT TO SERVE. MR. SERGEI SOROKIN, THE LEADER OF MOVEMENT AGAINST VIOLENCE, SAID, THAT THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR RARELY INSTITUTES PROCEEDING OF SUCH KIND: TILL NOW THERE WERE ONLY 30 PRECEDENTS. HE INFORMED, THAT ON JULY 20, NEXT TRIAL OF SUCH CASE WILL TAKE PLACE IN GAGARIN COURT OF MOSCOW CITY. MRS. VALENTINA MELNIKOVA, THE PRESS SECRETARY OF COMMITTEE OF SOLDIERS' MOTHERS, STRESSED, THAT AT PRESENT NOT SO MANY YOUNG MEN REFUSE TO SERVE BY CONVICTION. SHE BELIEVES, THAT THIS NEW TENDENCY WILL PUSH MPs TOWARDS ADOPTION OF THE LAW ON ALTERNATIVE SERVICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, ONLY THEIR OWN VARIANT OF THE LAW WILL SATISFY THOSE WHO REFUSE MILITARY SERVICE. THEY HAVE ALREADY TRANSFERRED THEIR PROPOSALS TO ALL INTERESTED INSTITUTIONS.

ALEXEI TERESCHENKO, OPEN RADIO -- "TWICE TWO".

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