Belarusians Subject To Military Duty Receiving Summonses En Masse

A check of combat readiness is underway.

The combat readiness check, announced by the Ministry of Defence, is now underway in Belarus - the persons liable for military duty are summoned to military enlistment offices. Lawyer Alina Bayanava explained how such a document is delivered and whether it's possible not to show up. Her commentary is published on the website of the Belarusian Republican Bar Association.

According to the law, military commissions must notify citizens about the need to appear at the draft events by personal summonses, where the deadlines for appearance are specified.

‘Additionally, citizens can be notified about the need to appear at the military recruitment centre via SMS. However, the main method of notification is a summons. Liability is incurred for failure to appear at recruitment events by summons. Liability for failure to appear by SMS will occur only in case of failure to appear for military service during mobilisation,’ said Bayanava.

The summons must be handed in person or by registered mail with notification. Summonses can be delivered by officials of the military enlistment office, as well as through housing and utilities organisations, settlement and cash centres, local authorities, educational institutions.

‘Summonses may also be handed to citizens at their place of work, as well as by other persons authorised by the military enlistment office at the residence of citizens. Citizens are obliged to appear on summons to the draft events,' reminded Bayanava.

Good reasons for non-appearance in Belarus include the following ones:

illness of a citizen, associated with the loss of capacity to work;

serious health condition of the father, mother, wife, husband, son, daughter, siblings, grandfather, grandmother of the citizen or attending the funeral of these persons;

other reasons recognised as valid by the draft board (military commissar, head of a separate subdivision, state security body) or the court.

The reasons for non-appearance must be confirmed by relevant documents.

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