Rights defenders call on Ingush authorities not to duplicate public organizations by creating Committee of Soldiers' Fathers

To assist conscripts, the Ingush authorities will create the Committee of Soldiers' Fathers (CSF). However, according to rights defenders, the organization in its activities should not duplicate the functions of the existing public institutions. The Committee of Soldiers' Fathers is to conclude agreements with military units, where conscripts from Ingushetia will serve, stated Ingush leader Yunus-Bek Evkurov in his interview to the "Caucasian Knot".

Mr Evkurov said that during the autumn conscription of 2014, the number of conscripts from Ingushetia will be increased up to 600-700 people instead the number of 100 conscripts as it had been announced earlier.

According to the Ingush leader, "the CSF's main purpose will be to ensure the participation of parents of conscripts in the military and patriotic education of youth and maintaining discipline in military units." To ensure more efficient operation, the CSF will cooperate with the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers.

Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the Committee "Civic Assistance", has noticed a threat that the CSF may replace the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers. According to the activist, there are special military clubs aimed to prepare young people for army service.

The initiative to create the CSR belongs to officials, and that means "their inevitable pressure on the activities of the organization," believes Lev Levinson, a member of the Expert Council under the Russian Ombudsman.