Rights defenders confirm chances of those arrested in Wildberries case to avoid trial

Those arrested within the shooting case near the Wildberries office have the right to conclude contracts with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to be sent to the special military operation (SMO) zone, after which the criminal case will be closed, human rights defenders have indicated.

By September 20, the number of those arrested after the shooting at the Wildberries office in Moscow had grown to 30 persons. Those arrested announced their intention to sign contracts with the MoD and go to the SMO zone in Ukraine, the "Ura.ru" outlet has informed.

Those arrested have a chance to sign a contract with the MoD and end up in the SMO zone, Artyom Mugunyants, a military lawyer and an expert of the "Antiprizyv" (Anti-Draft) organization, has confirmed. "Criminal prosecution is immediately terminated ... and there are no more claims against them from the viewpoint of the law," he has explained.

According to his information, law enforcement bodies are now strongly recommending that all the detainees kept at the country's SIZOs (pre-trial prisons) sign contracts with the MoD.

At least one of those arrested, Umar Chichaev, has been charged with murder, attempted murder, illegal arms trafficking, and arbitrariness.

Artyom Mugunyants has added that not all those arrested can sign contracts. "It all depends on the article. If you were spreading fakes about the Russian Army and were arrested, then ... you won't be allowed to sign such a contract. The same applies to those arrested under articles on terrorism and extremism. But the figurants in the shooting case at the Wildberries office have no such problem, since their articles are about murder, armed assault, and so on," he has stated.

If all those arrested under the above shooting case sign contracts with the MoD, the case will be closed, Ivan Chuvilyaev, the press attaché for the "Go to the Forest" project, has confirmed.

According to his version, over time, investigators offer contracts to an increasing number of the detainees, accused under graver articles.

Maxim Vedaprav, a human rights defender, believes that this entire process has already led to the creation of the so-called "impunity conveyor". "Yes, you can commit a crime, sign a contract with the MOD, serve some time in the SMO zone, come back and do it all over again. Exceptions are crimes against the ruling regime – extremism, terrorism, treason and fakes about the Russian Army. Such offenders won't be sent to the SMO," he said.

According to his story, reports that those who returned from the SMO zone, committed a crime again and asked to return to the SMO, has led to the fact that criminals no longer fear any punishment.