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Review of repressions against anarchists in Russia - 2017 and first months of 2018

Moscow Anarchist Black Cross released the review of repression of anarchists by Russian state in 2017 and early 2018. During this period, the authorities continue to frame and persecute the Russian comrades. Anarchists are also a subject of repressions in prisons. Here is the extract of recently published list of repression in Russia.

“The main thing at that moment, in that situation, was to come out alive”

In late January, news that Viktor Filinkov, a left-wing activist and computer programmer, had disappeared (24 January) at St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport was followed by arrests and searches (26 January) at the apartments of anti-fascist activists in the city.

Anarchists Yelena Gorban and Alexei Kobaidze suspects in Vandalism Committed Outside of United Russia Office Sent to Temporary Detention Facility

Yelena Gorban and Alexei Kobaidze, suspects in the vandalism case (Russian Criminal Code Article 214) opened after a protest outside a United Russia party office on January 31, have been sent to Temporary Detention Facility No. 1 (Petrovka) in Moscow, as reported to OVD Info by their defense lawyers, Svetlana Sidorkina and Maxim Pashkov.

Ilya Kapustin: “They Said They Could Break My Legs and Dump Me in the Woods"

Traces of handcuffs on Ilya Kapustin’s hands

“They Said They Could Break My Legs and Dump Me in the Woods.” Petersburger Ilya Kapustin Recounts How FSB Officers Tortured Him
Yegor Skovoroda

January 27, 2018

Traces of handcuffs on Ilya Kapustin’s hands. Photo courtesy of his attorney and Mediazona

How “Stability” Has Really Been Achieved in Russia

Viktor Filinkov. Photo courtesy of Filinkov’s wife and OVD Info

Petersburg Anarchist Viktor Filinkov, Arrested in Terrorism Case, Says He Was Tortured

January 26, 2018

Antifascist Viktor Filinkov, arrested for alleged involvement in a terrorist network, has told members of the Public Monitoring Commission (PMC) he was tortured, according to the PMC’s report, which Mediazona has in its possession.

Support anarchist and antifa prisoners in St.Petersburg and Penza!

We are currently fundraising to pay the lawyers working on several cases related to the police raids and arrests of anarchists and antifascists in St. Petersburg and Penza, Russia. 

As of now, two people in St. Petersburg and five in Penza are under arrest, while many others have been connected to their cases as witnesses. The raids and repressions are likely to continue. 

Pyotr Ryabov, anarchist philosopher imprisoned for 6 days in Belarus, declared a hungerstrike

Petr Ryabov

October 11, the city court of Baranovichi, Belarus, sentenced Russian anarchist Pyotr Ryabov. Petr, an anarchist philosopher and a lecturer of the department of Philosophy in the Moscow State Pedagogical University was sentenced to 6 days of prison for "minor hooliganism" and "distribution of extremist materials" (statutes 17.1 and 17.11 of the Codex of misdemeanors of Belarus). The court  has declared the Belarusian anarchist journal "Svoboda ili Smert issue 6" (published in 2007) an extremist material.

Hundreds of protesters detained after massive wave of repressions in Belarus

March 25 was planned by some liberal opposition leaders as the day of the biggest protest against Lukashenko’s policies this year. The biggest one on the wave of the recent anti-governmental demonstrations that started in February this year. It ended with the biggest police mobilization in years bringing thousands of riot cops to Minsk and detaining hundreds of people preventive and during the demonstration. This Saturday capital of Belarus looked like a war zone created by the police.

Belarus: Dozens of anarchists arrested in Minsk after anti-government protest

Today in three major cities of Belarus – Minsk, Mogilev and Grodno – people took the streets protesting against government attempts to collect tax off the unemployed (details of the story ). In Minsk, demonstrations managed to gather more that 1 500 people, in Mogilev and Grodno 1 000 each. These are the biggest protests those cities have seen in decades.

Anarchist Black Cross’s Annual Overview of Repressions 2016

The Russian authorities continue to prosecute and jail our comrades. In the summer and fall of 2016, demonstrations of solidarity with the convicts were held all across the globe. The anarchists are furthermore suffering repressions in jails, but keep the spirit up. If you think that we have missed something important in our article or are aware of other repressions, feel free tocontact us at   

Free at last  

Helsinki joined international days of action for Russian political prisoners

After Tel Aviv, Helsinki joined the solidarity campaign. A picket in the center of the city was organised. 1st of July, in the opposite side of the railway station, around 10 anarchists stood with a banner "Freedom to Crimean prisoners" (Vapaus Krimin vangeille) with pictures of Oleg Sentsov and Alexandr Kolchenko, and "Freedom for all political prisoners" (in English). Few hundred leaflets were spread.

Crimea: Simferopol held an action of solidarity with political anarchist and anti-fascist prisoners (photo/video)

July 2nd, in Simferopol near the FSB and Crimean prosecutor’s offices activists held pickets as a part of International Days of Solidarity with political anarchist and anti-fascist prisoners. Authorities had not confirmed pickets, and police had been at the venue.

Despite these facts, activists uncovered placards near the FSB office. After 20 minutes of quarrels with the police, activists decided to change their position and met Crimean prosecutor’s office with a single picket.

Spain: the anarchists in Madrid stood in solidarity with political prisoners in Russia

In the Spanish capital Madrid, anarchists and anti-fascists joined the campaign of solidarity with political prisoners in Russia

Friday July 1st hung a large banner at the front of squatted social center and self-managed "The Casika" (Mostoles, Madrid), the goal to make visible the situation of anarchists and anti-fascists imprisoned comrades in Russia !!! also we inform interested with a dossier on paper!

Against state repression, international solidarity !!! Down the prison walls!

 

Russian anarchist Elizaveta Tsvetkova Sentenced to Year of Corrective Labor for Leaflet about Police

31 may 2016 Taganrog City Court Judge Georgy Serebryanikov sentenced 31-year-old local resident Elizaveta Tsvetkova to a year of corrective labor for disseminating leaflets criticizing the police, Caucasian Knot.

Join international days of solidarity with Russian anarchist and antifascist prisoners 1st to 10th July, 2016

When mass civil protests in Russia were defeated in 2011-12 the Putinist police regime started open political repressions against militants of social and political movements, including anarchists and antifascists. Many activists have been sentenced to prison terms in the course of the last 5 years in Russia.  

Czech Republic: Anarchist Igor Shevtsov be tried for arson of the house of Defense Minister and graffiti on the prison wall

The very first court hearing since the Fenix started will take a place in Czech Republic Prague city court on April 26-27th. The court is about the case of Igor Shevcov. An anarchist accused of fabricated attack on the house of minister of defense.

During this so called attack nothing was damaged and no one got hurt. In the time of incident – which the ministers son mentioned in his first testimony – Igor could not be physically near by the house.

Author columns

Антти Раутиайнен

June 11th is the International Day of Solidarity with Marius Mason & All Long-Term Anarchist Prisoners. This action day has a long history, it was organized first time 20 years ago in 2004. In the first year, we managed to paint a graffiti to wall of one of the most guarded objects of Moscow,...

1 month ago
Антти Раутиайнен

Anarchist group ANA Regensburg hosted my online-presentation on 16th of May 2024, in which I discussed tactics of anti-war activism in Russia, and reasons why the anti-war movement has not been able to make an impact to change the course of events yet. Cases of anarchists repressed for anti-war...

1 month ago