Inspectors charge the soldier who claimed his slavery in Dagestan of desertion

The Military Investigatory Division for the Saratov Garrison has indicted soldier Andrei Popov of desertion, Earlier Popov alleged that for 11 years he had been held in slavery at brick factories in Dagestan. This was reported by Evgeniy Bubnov, the deputy head of the above Investigatory Division.

"At the moment I can explain that the preliminary investigation is over; and on October 27 the case was sent to the prosecutor for approval of the indictment," said Bubnov.

He added that the prosecutor would have ten days to make his decision on the indictment; then, in case of approval, the case materials would go to the court, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

"It's much easier for our authorities now to convict and jail an innocent, than to admit that slave labour is used in the territory of the Russian Federation," the "Interfax" quotes Lydia Sviridova, the chair of the regional "Union of Soldiers' Mothers".

Andrei Popov himself said that he knew nothing about the indictment, the "SarInform" reports.

"They didn't show the case files to me. My advocate had some communication with the investigator, but he said nothing to me. Now, I'm in my military unit, and I'm trying to get a leave to go home," said Popov.