This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Russian contract soldier Kamil Kasimov, who fled Russia for Kazakhstan last year to avoid being sent to the war in Ukraine, has been sentenced to six years in prison in Russia, the 72.ru website quoted his friends as saying on September 3.
Kasimov was charged with being absent without notice after his arrest in April despite legally residing in Kazakhstan.
The IStories website says Kazakh law does not allow extradition on military charges and concludes that Kasimov was taken to Russia from Kazakhstan illegally.
Kazakh rights defender Artur Alkhasov said earlier that Kasimov was held in a Russian military base in central Kazakhstan after his arrest.
