The ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova reported that the Russians were forcibly mobilizing men in the temporarily occupied Crimea to participate in the war with Ukraine.
"Traditionally, the conscription campaign on the peninsula starts in April. However, the Russians planned to hold instructors' meetings with the chairmen of conscription commissions, district military commissars and other officials and staff involved in the conscription campaign on 29 March in Simferopol," the ombudsman said.
She noted that Crimeans are actively receiving mobilization notices. Therefore, men of military age are trying to leave the peninsula through Russia, as the road to the Ukrainian mainland is closed.
"The Russians forcibly send Crimean Tatars to the war with Ukraine as the latter cannot lay down their arms due to threats of using force against their relatives," Denisova said.
She called for the world community to respond to this fact to increase sanction pressure on Russia.
"Forced mobilization is prohibited by international humanitarian law. Article 51 of the IV Geneva Convention regarding the civilians' protection in time of war prohibits the occupying power from forcing protected persons, meaning those under the control of the conflict party or an occupying state of which they are not citizens, to serve in its armed forces or auxiliary forces," the ombudsman summed up.
The occupation authorities raised the conscription age to 65 to increase the number of potential "recruits" in CADLR. The occupiers who refuse to fight in the war against Ukraine are intimidated by repression against their relatives.