Human rights defenders explain sentences for militaries in Nalchik

The short terms of imprisonment to which mobilized Kirill Soshkin and contract soldier Vyacheslav Takhmazyan have been sentenced for leaving their military unit can be explained by their admission of guilt and the fact that they reported for duty on their own.

In Nalchik, a court sentenced mobilized Kirill Soshkin to two years and contract soldier Vyacheslav Takhmazyan to one year and six months of imprisonment, finding them guilty of evading military service. The men failed to show up for duty at the appointed time and spent their time at their own discretion, but then showed up at the military unit themselves. During the investigation, both defendants admitted their guilt and explained that they did not show up for duty because they wanted to rest and spend time with their relatives.

Artyom Mugunyants, a military lawyer of the “Antiprizyv” community, believes that the sentences are lenient.

“It seems to me that the court took into account that the defendants admitted their guilt and did not try to hide, but, on the contrary, showed up at the military units themselves, albeit late,” the lawyer emphasized.

As for the difference in terms of imprisonment, the lawyer sees the reason in the length of the defendants’ absences from duty.

Sergey Krivenko*, the director of the “Citizen. Army. Law”* human rights group, agrees that the sentences for the convicted men have been lenient. The human rights defender also believes that the admission of guilt influenced the court’s decision.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.