Police arrived at Andrey Perlov’s home near Novosibirsk in Siberia at around 06:45 on 28 March. They alleged that he had stolen approximately three million roubles ($32,000; £24,000) from a Novosibirsk football club where he worked as the managing director – a claim that he and his family vehemently deny. Despite being a 62-year-old Olympic gold medalist, having won the 50km race walk in 1992, Perlov has been held in custody for over six months. His family alleges that he is being coerced into agreeing to fight in Ukraine, with promises that the embezzlement charges against him would be dropped once the war concludes.
The legislation passed in March 2024 requires both prosecution and defense attorneys to inform individuals facing criminal charges of the option to join the military instead of going to trial. By signing up, their legal proceedings would be halted, and their cases closed at the end of the conflict. This drastic change in the law enforcement system has come under criticism by various organizations, such as Russia Behind Bars.
The trend of offering accused individuals the chance to participate in military operations instead of facing legal consequences has become widespread in Russia. While some may see this as a way to avoid imprisonment, it can have tragic consequences, as seen in the case of Yaroslav Lipavsky, who died shortly after signing up with the military to avoid prosecution.
The government’s recruitment of convicts and prisoners to bolster their troops reflects their prioritization of military needs over the well-being of individuals accused of crimes. The practice has been heavily criticized by analysts and activists, who believe that these individuals are being exploited for the government’s agenda in Ukraine. “Él trata de mantenerse alegre,” dice ella, “pero si esto sigue así, lo romperán.”
Preguntamos a las autoridades rusas sobre el caso de Andrey Perlov y si están presionando injustamente a los detenidos para que se unan al ejército. No respondieron.