"Mother's Law" makes comments on amendments in the law on military draft in Russia

The "Mother's Law" human rights organization of soldiers' parents (Volgograd) makes comments on cancellation of delays from recruiting to the military service granted on family circumstances and future changes in the law "On Conscription and Military Service."

The human rights activists tell that during the recruiting campaign of 2008, no delays will be granted to: fathers having a child aged under three (except for a child-invalid in the age under three); husbands having pregnant wives with pregnancy term of 26 weeks and more (unless the family has another child); young men from large families having other children under 8 years of age, supported by a single parent; young men from the families, where a single parent has another born child-invalid; the majority of young men occupied with permanent care of their close relatives - Group I and II invalids, pensioners or minors; and rural teachers and doctors.

Nina Ponomaryova, an activist of the "Mother's Law," has explained the essence of the problem to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent: "When entering the full day departments of educational institutions, a citizen shall get the right of a delay from recruiting to military service."

However, the above practice, according to Ms Ponomaryova, is a breach of the Federal Law "On Conscription and Military Service," according to which all the recruits shall be summoned to undergo the military draft actions at the Military Registration and Enlistment Commissariat. If a recruit is health-fit for military service, the Commission shall examine his grounds for a delay. These grounds should be not necessarily related to education.