MOSCOW. March 24 (Interfax-AVN) - The State Duma Defense Committee has backed a bill imposing a five-year travel ban on draft dodgers adjusted by ministries and departments, Committee Chairman Adm. Vladimir Komoyedov told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"The Committee has supported the legislative initiative of our colleague adjusted by the Defense Ministry and other agencies which are bearing relation to military service by law. We have presented the bill, which caused a mixed public reaction, for consideration of interested law enforcement agencies and State Duma committees," Komoyedov said.
The bill was initiated by State Duma Defense Committee First Deputy Chairman Andrei Krasnov.
"The purpose of this legislative initiative is to prohibit draft dodgers from leaving Russia for the period of five years. Also, a five-year ban will be imposed on draft dodgers' appointment to civil service positions," the admiral said.
On October 30, 2014, the Russian Constitutional Court pronounced the open-ended ban on the appointment of draft dodgers to civil service positions unconstitutional. It mentioned, for instance, the constitutionality of item 1, article 3 of the Law on the Adjustment of Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation on Higher Prestige and Attraction of Military Service by Conscription. The amendments limited the access to civil service for those who had not served in the army.
Deputy Head of the Russian General Staff Main Organization and Mobilization Department Maj. Gen. Yevgeny Burdinsky said in March 2013 that over 235,000 men of eligible age were dodging military service in Russia. "Last year 235,836 men evaded their military duty and did not receive a summons. This is a latent conscription potential which is not being used," Burdinsky said at a meeting of the Russian Public Chamber commission.