The head of the HRC called on the Ministry of Defense not to “shield off” IT specialists during mobilization • Mediazona • RIMA

The head of the HRC called on the Ministry of Defense not to “shield off” IT specialists during mobilization

The head of the Human Rights Council, Valery Fadeev, appealed to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to abandon the “stick system” in military registration and enlistment offices and not to “shield out” IT specialists during mobilization. A retelling of the letter from the chairman of the council was published on the HRC website.

At the beginning of his address, Fadeev asserts that the majority of Russians are sympathetic to mobilization and “ready to do their duty,” but he sees problems in the system by which military commissariats operate. Among the shortcomings, the head of the Human Rights Council highlighted attempts to fulfill the “plan” for conscripts.

“They call up people without a military specialty or combat experience; not suitable for age. At the same time, there are known cases of refusal to accept volunteers due to the fact that the military registration and enlistment office “has already fulfilled the plan.” <…> It is necessary to correct and prevent cases that could undermine the trust of the people. <…> The stick approach is unacceptable,” Fadeev noted.

Also, according to him, the Ministry of Defense should explain who is subject to mobilization and what needs to be taken with them. The chairman of the council added: “The style of work also causes dissatisfaction - some hand out a summons at 2 a.m. as if they think that we are all draft dodgers.”

Fadeev drew the Ministry of Defense’s attention to requests from state-owned companies and developer associations to give IT specialists a deferment from mobilization. He wrote: “As for the “armor”: why did they immediately shield all the IT specialists? Why are they more needed in the rear than turners? Programmers can be different - they develop games or take bets at bookmakers.” According to the head of the HRC, only developers working with military systems, information infrastructure and cooperating with systemically important companies should not be subject to conscription.