Human rights activists warn of risk of kidnapping of Russian military man in Yerevan

Semyon Subbotin, who is wanted for unauthorized abandonment of his unit, was detained by Armenian police for three days. Russian soldiers were waiting for him at the detention center from which he was supposed to be released today, human rights activists reported.

Yerevan police detained Russian serviceman Semyon Subbotin, who was put on the Russian wanted list for unauthorized abandonment of his unit. He spent 72 hours in custody, during which time the Armenian side must report the wanted person to Russia, and the Russian side must transfer the materials of the criminal case against him in response, Mediazona reported today*.

Subbotin was released from the temporary detention center this afternoon. Before his release, three Russian soldiers in field uniforms were spotted at the detention center.

Human rights activists warned the Armenian police about a possible attempt to kidnap Subbotin, after which the soldier was escorted to the Erebuni Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

"If the Russian side prepares extradition documents, then the Armenian judicial authorities will decide the issue [of Subbotin's extradition]. And this absolutely does not mean that the extradition will take place," Asmik Novikova, an expert at the Public Verdict*, told the publication.

Before his arrest in Armenia, 25-year-old Semyon Subbotin served in the city of Teikovo in the Ivanovo region, the publication says.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs' wanted list contains information about Subbotin's search "under an article of the Criminal Code."

We remind you that Armenia and Georgia are not a reliable refuge for those who left Russia for political reasons, Russian human rights activists interviewed by the Caucasian Knot indicated in March 2024. In these countries, the influence of Russian special services is high and there is a risk of extradition to their homeland, they explained.

In Armenia, security forces have repeatedly detained Russian citizens who were wanted in their homeland for political reasons. Thus, in July 2024, they detained a teacher from the Moscow region, Natalya Taranushenko, who was wanted in a criminal case about fakes about the army. Later, she was released on a promise to appear.

Recall that on April 9, 2024, human rights activists stated that the Russian military police detained and illegally held Anatoly Shchetinin on the territory of a military base in Gyumri, who was wanted in Russia for refusing military service. After meeting with Shchetinin, human rights activists reported that he had decided to return to Russia, but on May 1 it became known that he agreed to their help.

On December 7, 2023, mobilized Russian serviceman Dmitry Setrakov was detained in Gyumri. According to human rights activists, Russian military police officers detained him for leaving his unit without permission. On December 19, it became known that Setrakov was taken to Russia. Human rights activists suggested that he was illegally taken away with the connivance of the Armenian authorities, effectively kidnapped. In an interview with a French television company, the Prime Minister of Armenia also called what happened to Setrakov a kidnapping.

Lawyers and human rights activists interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" pointed out the risk of extrajudicial extradition of people in whom the Kremlin has a special interest.

The agreement on legal assistance to Russia does not comply with Armenia's international obligations and should be recognized as unconstitutional, human rights activist Artur Sakunts and lawyer Ani Chatinyan said.

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