Man in Russia's Penza region was seized off street and forced to sign military contract, his mother says

A 33-year-old in Russia’s Penza region was seized off the street, beaten and coerced into signing a military contract, the outlet Ostorozhno, Novosti, reported on Wednesday, citing his mother.

The man, a furniture store employee identified as Alexander S., was detained on the evening of 19 August outside his workplace. He was then taken to a military enlistment office, where he was beaten and threatened until he signed a contract, his mother said.

According to his mother, he was not carrying ID documents at the time, but this did not stop authorities from processing his enlistment. “Everything is at home. But they made new ones there in 20 minutes,” she said. She added that her son was not intoxicated when he was picked up and had previously served in the army in the North Caucasus and Armenia.

The following morning, Alexander was transported along with two other local men to the settlement of Roshchino in the Samara region. Within two days he was moved further: he told his mother on 21 August that he was in Millerovo in the Rostov region, and by 22 August he said he was in Donetsk, in occupied Ukraine. She has not heard from him since.

His mother said he was sent off wearing only a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops. She has filed complaints with the Russian military prosecutor’s office, human rights commissioner’s office, and other state bodies, she said.

“I have no one left in my family,” she said. “My daughter died four years ago and my husband died two years ago. I walk with a cane because I had leg surgery. I’m completely alone now.”