President Yeltsin issued a decree on 16 May 1996 prohibiting the involuntary sending of conscripts to war zones (AFP 16 May 1996; The Herald 17 May 1996; The Moscow Times 18 May 1996; Rossiyskaya Gazeta 18 May 1996). For information on the decree, including the text, please consult the attachments. Information on compliance to that decree, and on whether conscripts were sent to Chechnya in May 1996 before the issuance of the decree, could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 16 May 1996. Sebastian Smith. "Yeltsin Bans Conscripts from War Zones, Seeks Professional Army." (NEXIS)

The Herald [Glasgow]. 17 May 1996. Oleg Shchedrov. "Vote-Winning Move Comes Amid Warning of Assassination Plot by Russians in Chechnya: Yeltsin Orders End to Conscription." (NEXIS)

The Moscow Times. 18 May 1996. Robin Lodge. "Conscription Decree Thought Untenable." (NEXIS)

Rossiyskaya Gazeta [Moscow, in Russian]. 18 May 1996. "Russia: Text of Edict on Voluntary Conflict Service Published." (FBIS-SOV-96-098 20 May 1996, p. 25)

Attachments

Agence France Presse (AFP). 16 May 1996. Sebastian Smith. "Yeltsin Bans Conscripts from War Zones, Seeks Professional Army." (NEXIS)

The Herald [Glasgow]. 17 May 1996. Oleg Shchedrov. "Vote-Winning Move Comes Amid Warning of Assassination Plot by Russians in Chechnya: Yeltsin Orders End to Conscription." (NEXIS)

The Moscow Times. 18 May 1996. Robin Lodge. "Conscription Decree Thought Untenable." (NEXIS)

Rossiyskaya Gazeta [Moscow, in Russian]. 18 May 1996. "Russia: Text of Edict on Voluntary Conflict Service Published." (FBIS-SOV-96-098 20 May 1996, p. 25)

Additional Sources Consulted

DIRB country file on Russia.

DIRB Indexed Media Review [Ottawa]. Weekly.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Reports. Daily.

Four oral sources consulted did not provide information on the requested subject.

Open Media Research Institute (OMRI) Daily Digest [Prague].

Transition: Events and Issues in the Former Soviet Union and East-Central and Southeastern Europe [Prague]. Bi-monthly.

Unsuccessful attempts to contact other oral sources.