"I Will Become Old-Timer Myself. We Have To Try Everything!"

The majority of Belarusian conscripts know about the situation in Pechy.

To go to the army or to look for a way to avoid being called up? What will happen behind the military unit gate – will they teach to defend Motherland or to wash old-timers’ socks? Such a question is asked by every adult Belarusian, receiving a summons to the military enlistment office, Belsat reports.

The majority of Belarusians know about Aliaksandr Korzhych's death

The soldier of the training center in Pechy was found hanged, with fastened legs and a T-shirt on his head. The Ministry of Defense and the Investigative Committee were considering only of the version of a suicide. But due to journalistic investigations and public resonance, the case hasn’t been kept quiet, and now an investigation into the facts of hazing and extortions in Pechy is being conducted, and several soldiers, sergeants and officers have been arrested. Other cases of suspicious deaths and suicides both in Barysau and in other military units have gained publicity. However, not all the conscripts have received full information.

"If it is there somewhere, and they used to serve and are serving like that, so then that is the way."

"As my acquaintances have told me, this case in Pechy is an exception rather than a rule".

"I will become an old-timer myself. There's nothing to be afraid of. We have to try everything. "

– today’s conscripts say.

Not everyone wants to go to the army, where he can be crippled or killed

Homel activist Vasil Paliakou advocates moving to a professional army based on contract principles. His son serves in the infamous training unit in Pechy.

"What is happening now must affect the state of the army. They are to monitor everything related to hazing more closely. There is a hope that the situation will improve," – the activist notes hopefully.

Human rights activists have started to monitor the situation in the army

The public association Legal Initiative offers former and current soldiers to fill in questionnaires about specific cases of hazing – beatings up, extortions of money, psychological pressure and bullying. To start a check, the questionnaire has to contain the soldier's personal data and the unit number. But a significant proportion of the questionnaires stay anonymous, as people are afraid.

The links to the questionnaire are already being blocked on social networks. Earlier, the Ministry of Defense called the investigation into the cases of hazing an "anti-army campaign" and tried to block the collection of signatures for Minister Andrei Raukou’s resignation and the reform of the armed