TRIAL ON ALEKSANDR PRONOZIN - RADICAL CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR - BEGUN TODAY IN SOVETSKIJ DISTRICT COURT OF MOSCOW

(Moscow, 27 December, 1991) - The first audience on the criminal case against member of the Radical Party Aleksandr Pronozin took place today.

21 year old Aleksandr Pronozin declared about his conscientious objection to serve in the Soviet army in 1988. Since that time he insists on bringing him to trial in accordance with law, expressing by such mean his protest against non-acknowledgment in the USSR right of conscientious objection and absence of alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors. Being militant of the Radical Party and active participant of anti-militarist movement, Pronozin is now also member of working group on the preparation of the draft of low about alternative civilian service in Supreme Soviet of Russian Federation.

The room of Sovetskij district court in Moscow was full by many journalists, conscientious objectors, anti-militarist militants - all they wanted to be present at the trial. However video group of Soviet TV program "Chelovek i zakon" (Man And Law) was removed from the room according decision by judge Elena Mitina.

In spite of objection from side of state accuser (prosecutor of Sovetskij district Dubinina), judgement decided to satisfy the intercession of the defence about calling of witnesses: Aleksandr Kalinin (member of Federal Council of the Radical Party, deputy of Moscow city soviet) and Nikolaj Khramov (Radical member, former editor of independent peace bulletin Day By Day). The counsellor for the defence is known advocate and human rights activist from Moscow Henry Reznik - director of Bar Institute, member of presidency of Moscow Board of Advocates, member of Moscow Helsinki Group. As a public defender at the trial lieutenant colonel of justice Anatolij Pchelincev is taking part. He works together with Pronozin for the draft of law about alternative civilian service in the framework of special working group in Russian parliament.

After one and half hours of work and decision about satisfaction of advocate's intercession, the audience was interrupt. The next audience is appointed on 7 of February.