Court in Novorossiysk denies believer's right to ACS

The Primorsky District Court of Novorossiysk has rejected the lawsuit lodged by Mark Chub, who tried to obtain the alternative civilian service (ACS), referring to his religious beliefs.

According to case materials, Mark Chub, a resident of the Krasnodar Territory, has stated in court that he could not take up arms and use violence against other people because he had beliefs based on biblical principles.

Earlier, the Novorossiysk military commissariat (registration and enlistment office) refused to replace his military service with the ACS. The court found the commissariat's to be legal.

The court ruling states that Mark Chub was denied the ACS because he had submitted his application in violation of the deadlines and failed to provide the proofs confirming the valid reasons for breaking the deadlines.

The failure to cope with the deadline is a formal reason for refusal, Elena Popova, the coordinator of the Conscious Objectors' Movement*, has noted.

"The decision of the drafting commission must be not only duly justified, but also motivated," the "Kavkaz.Realii"* project quotes Ms Popova as saying.

The "Caucasian Knot" has also reported that the Prikubansky District Court of Krasnodar rejected the claim of Roman Volik, who tried to take the ACS instead of mobilization, referring to his anti-war beliefs.

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