Police arrived at Andrey Perlov’s home near Novosibirsk in Siberia around 06:45 on 28 March and accused him of stealing approximately three million roubles ($32,000; £24,000) from a Novosibirsk football club where he was the managing director. However, both he and his family deny these allegations.
Perlov, a 62-year-old Olympic gold medallist who won the 50km race walk in 1992, has been in custody for over six months. His family claims that he is being pressured to agree to fight in Ukraine, with the promise that the embezzlement charges against him would be halted and possibly dropped once the war is over.
Recent laws in Russia require prosecution and defence lawyers to inform individuals facing criminal charges that they have the option to join the military instead of going to court. If they choose this route, their legal proceedings will be suspended, and their cases will likely be closed once the conflict concludes.
Andrey Perlov’s daughter expressed concern about her father’s well-being in jail, especially after he was allegedly coerced to sign a military agreement. The new legislation has drastically changed the Russian legal system, allowing individuals to potentially avoid criminal prosecution by enlisting in the military.
Despite the government’s push to recruit individuals facing legal troubles, some refuse the offer due to personal beliefs, fear of combat-related risks, or a desire to address their charges in court. However, those who resist may face severe consequences, such as being isolated from their families or subjected to harsh punishment.
Andrey Perlov’s family remains hopeful that they can prove his innocence, although his health and well-being have reportedly deteriorated during his time in custody.
“Él trata de mantenerse alegre”, dice, “pero si esto sigue así, lo van a romper”. Le preguntamos a las autoridades rusas sobre el caso de Andrey Perlov y si están presionando injustamente a los detenidos para unirse al ejército. No respondieron.