| A man who took part in an anti-mobilization protest in Moscow, Russia on the 24th, runs away from police. TAS Yonhap News |
Hundreds of civilians have been detained while more than 1,300 people have been arrested in the third day of protests in Russia after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization of reserve forces for the Ukraine war, a human rights group said.
According to human rights monitoring group OVD-info on the 25th (local time), more than 796 people were detained in 33 Russian cities as of 1:50 a.m. that day due to protests against the partial mobilization order. “More people could have been detained,” the group said.
Unauthorized assemblies are illegal in Russia, and any activity that is considered defamatory to the military is also prohibited. More than 1,300 protesters were arrested across Russia on the 21st, when Russian President Putin announced a partial mobilization of 300,000 people. According to AFP news agency, a citizen who took part in a protest in Moscow, Russia, was arrested and shouted, “We are not cannon fodder.” “I don’t want to go to war for Putin,” said a man from St. Petersburg. A woman in her 70s who took part in the protest said, “I am afraid that young people will go to the front.”
The mobilization order has led to protests all over Russia and a procession of citizens fleeing abroad. In response, Putin has devised penalties. According to reports, Putin signed a bill that would allow his troops to be detained for up to 10 years if they voluntarily surrender or refuse to fight. It is reported that the enforcement began immediately after the partial mobilization ordinance was announced on the 21st.
An invitation for conscription was also presented. The Central Bank of Russia has recommended commercial banks and lenders to defer debt repayments for reserve forces subject to mobilization orders. For those subject to mobilization, it also included provisions to prevent overdue debts from being collected and from being evicted from foreclosed mortgages. In addition, foreign nationals who have served in the Russian military for at least one year will be granted Russian citizenship. Under current procedures, you must have lived in Russia for at least five years to receive citizenship.
By Park Jung-kyung, staff reporter [email protected]