PRESS RELEASE OF THE ARA

Moscow, August 3, 1998

For Immediate Release

VADIM NAZAROV, A RELIGIOUS CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR OF IMPRISONMENT IN SOCHI

On July 28, 1998 the Central District Court of the city of Sochi, Krasnodar Territory, has sentenced Mr. Vadim Nazarov, a Jehovah Witness, to one year of imprisonment for his conscientious objection to military service based on religious grounds.

The court fully ignored Mr. Nazarov's references to his constitutional rights provided by the art. 28 comma 3 and art. 59 comma 3 of the Russian Constitution, as well as his declaration about readiness to fulfil alternative civilian service.

Vadim Nazarov is in jail since April 29, 1998. The appeal against the court sentence is already presented.

Such facts of conscientious objectors' imprisonment are rare in today's Russia, though. However, Mr. Nazarov's case is not especially astonishing, taking in consideration extremist views of Mr. Nikolaj Kondratenko, governor of Krasnodar Territory. He is exactly who is setting all the branches of territory's power against Constitution and human rights by his well-known fascist statements. Now it's time to congratulate Mr. Kondratenko: there is one new prisoner of conscience in his territory.

ARA informs about arbitrariness against Vadim Nazarov all the interested Russian and international organizations. We also will do our best in order to launch an international campaign to defend Vadim Nazarov.

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ANTIMILITARIST RADICAL ASSOCIATION (ARA)

* an association of radical party *

Ul. Trubnaja 25-2-49, 103051 Moscow, Russia

tel./fax +7-095-9239127

mailto:ara@glasnet.ru

http://www.glasnet.ru/~ara