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Press Release of the Antimilitarist Radical Association (ARA)

Moscow, September 15, 1997

For Immediate Release

Almost three months ago gen. Lev Rokhlin, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defence, has launched his badly notorious appeal to the troops and to the Supreme Commander, in fact calling up the army to the military rebel and disobedience.

On June 26 Nikolaj Khramov, secretary of the ARA has tabled a formal request addressed to the General Procurator of Russian Federation Mr. Jurij Skuratov, where he wrote that in gen. Rokhlin's actions have ``characteristics of a doing which fall under Art. 279 of Russian Federation Criminal Code ("armed rebel") with reference to Art. 30 ("preparation to a crime and attempt on a crime") and Art. 33.4 (instigation)'' and asked ``to undertake the measures foreseen by law in the framework of procurator's reaction.'' No answer has been till now received from the General Procurator's office.

At the same time authorities "recalled" about Artem Onoprienko, a member of the Radical Party and ARA, a paratrooper sergeant who objected participation in Chechen warfare on reasons of conscience in January 1995, refusing to come back to his unit after a short leave and sending respective letter with explanations of his reasons to the Defence Minister and President Yeltsin. Two and a half years Artem Onoprienko openly resided at home. On March 12, 1997 the State Duma passed the Resolution "On Declaring Amnesty Regarding Persons Committed Publicly Hazardous Doings In Relation With Armed Conflict In The Chechen Republic". A "crime" committed by Onoprienko (desertion) fall under action of this amnesty and therefore his criminal file should be closed. However, on August 28 he has been arrested and since that time imprisoned in the military commandants office of Moscow garrison.

It is present the demonstrative inaction of the procurator's bodies against those who attempting democracy and Russian constitutional order, while at the same time there is an increased (and, say directly, illegal) "attention" to those who found courage to object participation in the dirty war in Chechnya.

On Wednesday, September 17, at 12.00 near the building of the General Procurator's Office of Russian Federation (Ul. Bolshaja Dmitrovka 15-a) there will be organized demonstration of the Antimilitarist Radical Association. ARA's activists intend to demand again the General Prosecutor to take measures foreseen by law against Lev Rokhlin and at the same time to defend rights of Artem Onoprienko - amnestied but still imprisoned. ARA members will also submit to the General Procurator's Office several dozens of formal requests to open investigation of illegal actions made by the rebel general.

For more information:

tel. +7-095-923.91.27

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Antimilitarist Radical Association (ARA)

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

Tel. & fax: +7-095-923.91.27

E-mail: ARA@glasnet.ru

Internet URL: http://www.agora.stm.it