Stop Persecution Against "Soldiers' Mothers of St. Petersburg
Soldiers’ Mothers Of St. Petersburg (a Russian human rights organization)
is persecuted by the militaries and civilian authorities. Some time ago the military
prosecutor of Leningrad military region wrote the letter to the prosecutor of
St.Petersburg and demanded to check up the organization to the conformity to the
Statute of it. The prosecutor of St.Petersbuurg gave the order to the Department
of Justice to check up Soldiers' Mothers of St. Petersburg and they sent warning
that they would close the organization if within one month it fails to correct
its deficiencies. They accuse the religious background of the officials of the
organization. Besides that they asked to show the confidential information of
the people who approach the organization. Although the Constitution of the Russian
Federation forbid to collect information about private life of the people without
their consent. But the real reason is that in St.Petersburg this human rights
organization succeeded to encourage the people to protect their human rights.
People have become more active, began to help each other, raise their voice against
the war in Chechnya. Soldiers’ Mothers Of St. Petersburg also made public
all the cases of the human rights violations in the Russian Army. All these activisms
touch the interests of the authorities of Russian Federation. So they are trying
to close this organization.
Detail Background
According to message received from the "Soldiers' Mothers of St. Petersburg" recently
the head of the army-navy Nakhimovsky Military Academy, Admiral Alexander Bukin,
brought forth a lawsuit against citizens, civil organizations, journalists and
the mass media. The ground for this case was the scandal that erupted in the Nakhimovsky
Academy in February of this year.
The parents of Sergej Karyazin, Andrei Papulov and Vladimir Sobolyov, three cadets
of the Nakhimovsky Academy, turned to civil and human rights' organs in St Petersburg,
as well as to the human rights' organization "Soldiers' Mothers of St Petersburg".
They told stories about the physical and mental abuse their children suffered
while at the academy. This all occurred with the knowledge and consent of senior
officers.
They turned to the "Soldiers' Mothers" as a last resort. They had already exhausted
all possibilities to defend their dignity and physical well being, having already
turned to their instructors and to the headmaster of the Nakhimovsky Academy,
Admiral Bukin.
They presented to the headmaster medical documents and reports that confirmed
physical trauma.
The shocking situation within the Nakhimovsky Academy, an Academy that has become
a symbol of the naval pride and honor of Russia, became a concern for "Soldiers'
Mothers of St Petersburg" due to the violation of accepted morals and practices
by government officials, naval command, public prosecution and the mass media.
"Soldiers' Mothers" immediately tried to reach headmaster Bukin, eventually going
to the PTA-meeting where Admiral Bukin, a representative of naval command and
parents of fellow classmates were present.
The newspaper "Smena" was one of the first to report of this confrontation.
The "Soldiers' Mothers" received a letter with the following explanations:
From fleet admiral Kuroedov: "Those officials who participated in illegal activity
received disciplinary action in accordance to main naval command's decree 145
on April the 8th, 2003."
From the proxy of the Leningrad military prosecutor's regional military colonel's
jurisdiction E. D. Tkachuk: "Concerning the elimination of assumed violations
of the law by the military prosecutor in March of 2003, a presentation by the
head of the naval fleet was brought in, in which the question of admiral Bukin's
capability to fulfil his responsibilities as an administrative official.
The results of the analysis of the presentation, caused the main command of the
naval fleet to issue a decree in which the headmaster of the academy and other
officials were called to account for their disciplinary responsibility. While
verifying these charges, confirmation of conflicts and arguments among cadets
was found."
From the main command of the naval fleet under admiral V. Kravchenko: "The main
command of the naval fleet recognizes your aim to help the leadership of the Nakhimovsky
Academy in the establishing of order and forming the minds of the Nakhimovsky
cadets."
From the proxy of city prosecutor A. V. Konovalov: "The given resolutions were
repealed by the city prosecutor in connection due to incomplete verification,
as well as materials sent to the St Petersburg regional prosecutor for the organization
of additional verification. The St. Petersburg city prosecutor was found responsible
for not observing the legal process while authorizing the declaration and recounting
of said crimes."
Documents addressed to admiral Bukin in the Kuibyshuvsky federal court of St Petersburg
were titled: "Declaration of protecting rights, freedom and lawful interests of
any group of persons, study, work, and the completion of duty connected to Nakhimovsky
Academy". Once, speaking in name for defending the interests of the academy as
a whole, admiral Bukin requested as reparation a large sum of money for his exclusive
personal use. From the representatives of the civil organization "Soldiers' Mothers
of St Petersburg" Y. Y. Vilenskaya and E. M. Polyakova he requested, in court,
the sum of 500 000 roubles; from M. E. Soboleva (mother of cadet Vladimir Sobolev)
- 200 000 roubles; from journalist S. K. Andreyov - 500 000 roubles and from the
editors of the newspaper "Smena" 2 000 000 roubles.