Denial of a Believer's Right to Replace Military Service with Alternative Civilian Service

July 6, 2017 Chuvashia

An 18-year-old believer, Abel Lukin from the city of Shumerlya (Chuvashia), was sent to the Strategic Missile Forces (!) by the draft commission. The official protocol of the draft commission provides the motivation:

"In connection with the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 20.04.2017 on the liquidation of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, recognizing it as extremist and prohibiting its activities on the territory of the Russian Federation, refuse to grant the right to replace military service by conscription with alternative civilian service. Article 22 - to call for military service. Assigned to the Strategic Missile Forces. Enroll in team No. 50. The results of the voting: "for" - unanimously" (Protocol No. 3 of the meeting of the draft commission of Shumerl dated 05/12/2017).

"Obviously, the Russian state itself does not believe that Jehovah's Witnesses are 'extremists'! - says Yaroslav Sivulsky from the European Association of Christian Jehovah's Witnesses.- Otherwise, would the "extremist" have been sent to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces?! At the same time, all members of the commission voted unanimously.

The believer is trying to challenge the decision of the draft board through the courts.