‘Young Front’ activist Ivan Shyla unexpectedly released from army

The leader of the Young Front branch in Salihorsk, forcefully drafted into the army, has been exempt from military service on decision of the Central Military Medical Board. Ivan Shyla left the military unit in the village of Mezhytsa at 5 p.m. on 3 December. As the website saligorsk.org notes, the youth activist has been transferred to the army reserves.

The decision was agreed upon with the command authority of the Ministry of Defense.
Bear in mind that Ivan Shyla was expelled from secondary school #4 in Salihorsk on politically motivated grounds in 2008 the day before his last final exam. The school headmistress Volha Siankova dismissed in protest. The youth activist was forcefully drafted into the army in February 2009. Handcuffed, he was guarded to the medical board, and then, without medical examination, was sent to the army barracks near Lepel.

The Young Front activist Zmitser Khvedaruk and the leader of the BPF Youth Franak Vyachorka faced a similar situation. The youth activists were called up for military service in spite of medical contraindication.

The so called political drafting campaign has started in Belarus to call up youth activists.

In September 2009, the Young Front activist Yauhen Skrabets was forcefully drafted into the army. He was found fit for military service though he has serious problems with the backbone. It became known on 22 September that Young Front activist Andrei Tsianiuta was forcefully drafted. The medical board found him unfit for military service as he has platypodia and medium scoliosis. However, the military enlistment office sent the young activist for a new examination in the regional hospital, and he was said he has a lower degree of scoliosis.