Lawyers assess chances of man mobilized in Rostov Region to avoid prison

Mobilized Dmitry Setrakov, a native of the Rostov Region, who was taken out of Armenia by Russian law enforcers, has agreed to cooperate with investigators, but this fact is unlikely to help him avoid criminal prosecution, notes an activist of the “Idite Lesom” (Get Lost!) project. According to the new law, Dmitry Setrakov may write a request to be sent to the special military operation (SMO) zone at any stage of his criminal case, lawyers note.

On December 7, 2023, Russian military man Dmitry Setrakov was detained in Gyumri in Armenia. Human rights defenders reported that Russian military police detained Dmitry Setrakov for leaving his military unit without permission and placed him under arrest at the Russian military base in Gyumri. The human rights defenders also suggested that the man was illegally taken out of the country with the connivance of the Armenian authorities, in fact, he was kidnapped.

Ivan Chuvilyaev, the press attache of the “Idite Lesom” (Get Lost!) project, believes that Dmitry Setrakov may be offered to go to the special military operation instead of prison.

Citizens suspected of committing crimes have got the opportunity to go to the front line without waiting for a court’s verdict, explains lawyer Artyom Mugunyants.

Valentina Melnikova, the head of the “Union of the Committees of Soldiers’ Mothers”, does not believe that in conditions of hostilities, the army may become an institution that will re-educate a person in a positive way. Valentina Melnikova notes that it is necessary to provide psychiatric assistance to those who have been convicted and are going to the front line.