Moscow YABLOKO Youth conducted picketing against conscription
Press release, 04.04.2016
On 3 April, Moscow YABLOKO Youth activists conducted picketing against the conscription system in Russia and against the Kremlin’s aggressive foreign policy. The action was timed to the beginning of the spring draft.
For years YABLOKO Youth have been calling for abolishion of conscription and transfer to a professional army based on contract principles. Nikolai Kavkasky, Chair of Moscow YABLOKO Youth, stated that “we consider the conscription system as a modern serfdom”.
The participants of the action held placards which said “We demand to replace conscription with contract-based army”, “The annexation of Crimea is a crime”, “A military officer is a profession, not a duty”.
YABLOKO Youth’s actions in support of a contract-based army also took place in Novosibirsk (the Novosibirsk Region), Vladikavkaz (North Ossetia) , Stavropol (the Stavropol Territory) and Yeysk (the Krasnodar Territory).
Conscription in Russia is a 12-month draft, mandatory for all male citizens age 18–27, with a number of exceptions.
Posted: April 5th, 2016 under Human Rights, Street Actions, The Russian Army, Youth Policies.