Military prosecutors have commented on the lenient sentence given to the platoon commander of the material and technical support unit of the medical company of military unit 25744 of the Aktobe garrison, who received a two-year restriction of liberty for beating soldiers and forcing them to eat cigarette butts.
According to ORDA, the Deputy Chief Military Prosecutor Talpat Bekbergenov considers the sentence fair because, in his words, no one was seriously injured.
"The punishment reflects reality. There are no serious consequences, and given the personal qualities of the defendant, the sentence imposed is sufficient for his rehabilitation," he commented at a briefing.
At the same time, Bekbergenov noted that the soldiers should have complained to higher command about the sergeant forcing them to eat cigarette butts.
"In that case, it is considered an unlawful order. A soldier is not obliged to carry it out. According to the regulations, he should have appealed to the higher command and reported the use of an unlawful order," the prosecutor explained.
To remind you, in January, the military court of the Aktobe garrison sentenced the platoon commander of the material and technical support unit of the medical company of military unit 25744 to two years of restriction of liberty for abuse of power.
It was reported that in March 2024, while cleaning the unit's grounds, the sergeant found cigarette butts on the floor and forced two conscripts to eat them. Then, unhappy with the mess in the room, he struck one of the soldiers several times in the chest area. After the soldier fell, the commander continued the beating and forced him into a push-up position.
Following the incident, one of the privates visited the unit's medical post with symptoms of food poisoning. During the court hearing, the victim confirmed the forced act and the beating. The second soldier, who also experienced nausea and vomiting, stated in court that he had been poisoned by a sandwich and had no complaints against the commander.