Press Release of the ARA

(Moscow, January 9, 1998) -- Inter- regional Public Prosecutor's Office of Moscow initiated proceedings against Vassily Bazhenov, member of Antimilitarist Radical Association and conscientious objector, accused of violating art. 328.1 of Criminal Code (evading military or alternative civilian service).

On April 4, 1997 Inter-regional Court Tushinsky (Moscow) rejected a complaint of Bazhenov against an illegal decision of Conscription Committee that rejected his application for the alternative civilian service. The decision of the Court contradicts Article 59.3 of Russian Constitution that guarantees to every Russian citizen the right to apply for alternative civilian service instead of military service.

On June 2, 1997 Juridical Collegium for civil cases of Moscow City Court confirmed the decision of the Court of the first instance. A complaint lodged by Bazhenov with the Presidium of Moscow City Court was rejected as well. However, Vassily is still fighting for his constitutional rights. He filed a statement of claim to the Military Commissariat in which he declared once again that he conscientiously objected and asked Commissariat employees "not to disturb him any more" with enlistment notices and to solve all the problems through Prosecutor's Office. On January 5, 1997 Bazhenov received a certificate informing him that a criminal action had been brought against him.

Similar proceedings were initiated by Inter - regional Prosecutor's Office Golovinsky against another ARA member and conscientious objector Aleksandr Borodin. The court sitting will take place on January 12, 1998 at 10 a.m. (Inter - regional Court Golovinsky (Moscow), ul. Zoi i Aleksandra Kosmodemianskikh, 31, floor 4). His case will be examined by Judge Sergey Lebedev.

A criminal action against Aleksandr Borodin was brought after he had refused to appear at the Military Commissariat for enlistment. He did not lodge a complaint with the civil court. He got to know about his constitutional right to conscientious objection during the proceedings and applied for alternative civilian service.

Criminal persecution of conscientious objectors and actual boycott by the State Duma of the Alternative Civilian Service draft law is an example of how Russia breaks its commitments assumed with entering the Council of Europe in 1996. Two new actions brought against conscientious objectors entail opening a new front of struggle for human rights in Russia.

ARA and Transnational Radical Party which fight for the soonest adoption of the Alternative Civilian Service Law in Russia are ready to launch an international campaign to defend two persecuted conscientious objectors. On December 12 ARA Secretary Nikolay Khramov and member of ARA Secretariat Vadim Hesse will take part in proceedings of Aleksandr Borodin as public defence. Khramov declared: "We will do everything we can to put in the dock instead of Sasha Borodin the militarist regime that over again encroaches an inalienable right of young Russian citizens guaranteed by both international law and the basic Russian law".

For more information:

tel. (095) 923-9127

__________________________________________

Antimilitarist Radical Association

an association of the Radical Party

ul. Trubnaja 25-2-49, Moscow

103051 Russia

Tel./fax (095) 923-9127

E-mail: ara@glasnet.ru, a.r.a@agora.stm.it

Internet URL: http//www.glasnet.ru/ara