Putin ratifies the legalization of military recruitment of convicted criminals

MADRID 7 Nov. () –

The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, ratified this Thursday a controversial law that allows convicted criminals to enlist in the Armed Forces in times of war, mobilization and martial law.

The law stipulates that citizens who have completed their sentences and those who have criminal records, whether prescribed or not, can now sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense to join Russian troops in the framework of the invasion of Ukraine.

This will also affect those accused persons awaiting trial, as well as those who have appealed their sentences before the Court. In this sense, they will be able to avoid serving their sentences by joining the Army, an issue that has raised blisters among voices opposed to the Kremlin.

With this measure, the Russian Government seeks to increase its military capacity without resorting to mass mobilization, which could have political consequences in Russia. In this way, you will be able to recruit a large number of soldiers while minimizing criticism from public opinion.

However, this strategy has already raised concerns among human rights defenders, who speak of a recruitment guided by “coercion” in the face of the harsh conditions to which prisoners are subjected in the country’s prisons, as reported by the radio station Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

The regulations exclude those convicted of committing crimes against the sexual integrity of children, especially those who have raped minors or committed “depraved acts” against them.