About 90 Russian men have been granted asylum in Germany in their bids to avoid military conscription back home, the Interior Ministry in Berlin said on September 23. Some 3,500 men have applied for such status, with 1,500 applications having so far been decided upon with either acceptance or rejection, officials said. German courts decide on refugee status based on whether a person would face particularly severe penalties at home because they are members of a group of people who are discriminated against, and not solely on the desire to avoid conscription. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Russian Service, click here.
About 90 Russian Men Seeking To Avoid Conscription Back Home Granted Asylum In Germany
Russian conscripts called up for military service walk along a platform before boarding a train as they depart for garrisons at a railway station in Omsk. (file photo)