European Union should pay attention to “politically motivated” drafts to army in Belarus

Belarusian and foreign human rights organisations have called upon the international community to turn attention to “politically motivated” draft as a form of repressions.

The authors of the address appeal to “do everything possible to stop this illegal practice and prevent it from turning into a systematic mechanism of pressure and isolation of active youth in Belarus,” the press-service of the Young Front informs.

The letter was signed by the public association “Human rights centre”, the Committee for Defense of the Repressed “Solidarity”, Human rights alliance (Lithuania), the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, “Human rights assistance to the population” (Kyiv, Ukraine), Legal Technologies development foundation (Kyiv, Ukraine).

Human rights activists remind that over the last year and a half many young activists were called up to the army: Zmitser Zhaleznuchenka, Ales Kalita, Vital Karatysh, Zmitser Khvedaruk, Ivan Shyla, Ales Krauchenya and Franak Vyachorka.

“The politically motivated draft is obviously aimed at physical, informational, moral limitation of freedom of activists and intimidation of their supporters,” the letter writes.

“The new events with activists Yauhen Skrabets and Andrei Tsyanyuta show that the problem of politically motivated draft is relevant. They are forcibly drafted to the army in the end of September”.

We remind that so-called political draft is used against young activists in Belarus recently.

Zmitser Zhaleznichenka was the first youth activist to be forcefully drafted into the army. The activist of “The BPF Youth” from Homel was called up for military service on January 25, 2008. The oppositionist was expelled from Homel State University two times. He was an A-level student and didn’t miss classes without good excuse. The activist appealed to court against his first expulsion in September 2007 and was reinstated to the university on January 16, but was expelled again in four days and drafted into the army.

In January 2009, “Young Front” activists Ivan Shyla and Zmitser Khvedaruk as well as leader of “The BPF Youth” Franak Vyachorka faced a similar situation. The youth activists were called up in spite of medical contra-indication.

In September 2009 Yauhen Skrabets was forcibly drafted to the army. An activist of Homel branch of the Young Front Andrei Tsyanyuta was found fit for his service in the army on September 22. Doctors found Andrei Tsyanyuta not fit for military service as he has medium scoliosis and fallen arch. However, the military enlistment office sent the young activist for a new examination in the regional hospital, and he was said he has a lower degree of scoliosis, which does not give grounds even for a deferral.