Military enlistment office: Draftees’ political views do not matter!

Luninets and Hantsavichy military commissariat has refused the deferment appeal lodged by Vital Karatysh. The fact that he is the father of a baby does not give him the right for a deferment, they replied on May 17.

Vital Karatysh took part in the parliamentary election campaigns in 2008 and 2012. The authorities are trying to make sure that he will not take part in this year’s election campaign, he believes. The draft coincides with the registration of initiative groups in June.

Karatysh: “They have even told me that I will be mobilized and drafted. Interestingly, it has turned out that Leanid Dubanousau who dealt with independent trade unions in Mikashevichy is also being drafted now”.

Some people from the District Executive Committee asked him about his plans for the election campaign earlier, Karatysh said. The activist replied that he would not participate in it. “They have decided to play safe and to draft me during the  period of the registration of initiative groups,” Karatysh claimed.

Deputy head of the military commissariat of Luninets and Hantsavichy District Alyaksei Mayorau has refuted any political motives in Vital Karatysh’s case. He simply has no right for a deferment, he told Euroradio.

Alyaksei Mayorau: “According to the law, he has no right for a deferment. Draftees’ political views do no matter here, I am not interested in politics, I do not care about the BPF, I am sticking to the Law on Military Service. I have not violated it. We are drafting him and I do not even know about the election campaign terms!”

Nobody phoned them from the District Executive Committee and nobody asked them to draft Minsk activists, lieutenant colonel Mayorau said. At least he does not know about such phone calls.