Alexey Sutuga

On the morning of September 1st, 34-year-old anarchist Alexey ”Socrates” Sutuga died, due to severe head injuries, in the intensive care unit of the Sklifosovsky Institute. For more than a week, doctors fought for his life, but the injuries were too serious.

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 abc-msk@riseup.net  

Free at last  

Between 1st and 10th of July, international days of solidarity for political prisoners of Putin's police state took place in 22 cities of 10 different countries.

Within days of  actions with the anarchists and anti-fascists imprisoned in Russia actions in the city of Malmyo in the south of the country and in at the youth festival  "Peace & Love Festivalen"  in the city of Burlenge have taken place.

In Malmyo on the building opposite to the central railway station two banners have been hung out: Destroy police stay (Down with a police state) and Free Putins's prisoners (Freedom to Putin's prisoners).

From 1 to July 10, 2016, a call to action in solidarity with anarchists and antifascists imprisoned-e-s in Russia was made by the Anarchist Black Cross of Moscow. Indeed, the political and repressive situation in Russia is very hard for our comrades fighting for anarchism and fascism (and more generally for all those fighting for human rights), and many of them found themselves es imprisoned in high security prisons or labor camps because of their activism, often condemned es for terrorism or violence.

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.

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.

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!

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.  

Russian authorities have upped the ante in their pressure on anarchists from “Autonomous Action” movement as of late – this includes a new prisoner charged with the Bolotnaya Square case, Dmitry Buchenkov,

We continue our regular summaries on repressions of anarchists, antifascists, and social activists in Russia, on obstacles which police state creates for our activity.

We continue to publish news about repressions against anarchists, antifascists and social activists and about the obstacles we face from the side of police state. In February, March and April issue you can read about Maidan ghost, letters from the prisons and senseless trials. If you recognize that we've missed anything or you are informed about other cases of repressions, let us know by writing to address abc-msk <> riseup.net.

For costs of all the listed cases, besides indicated internet purses, you may donate money via ABC-Moscow. Check 

On Friday 10th of January Basmanniy district court of Moscow ceased criminal case against Alexey Olesinov, Alexey Sutuga, Alyon Volikov and Babken Guskasyan. All four were accused of “hooliganism”, a criminal offense which is included in the amnesty bill, approved as a PR stunt on initiative of Vladimir Putin himself in advent of the Sochi Winter Olympics – most known amnestied political prisoners being 30 detainees of the Arctic Sunrise ship of Greenpeace, and two imprisoned members of Pussy Riot.

19th of June Moscow city court accepted appeal of criminal investigators to release Alexey Sutuga trial pending with a condition of a bail.

Member of Autonomous Action, anarchist Alexey Sutuga has been remanded for more than a year. Police has intentionally delayed the investigation, they were only working on the case for the first 2-3 months of the arrest, and since then investigation has stalled. Formally Alexey is accused according to statute "hooliganism" of Russian criminal codex, for having taken part to a fight during an anti-fascist concert.

It is late, but I still want to congratulate all the comrades and friends with May Day and the Day of Liberation of the world from the Nazi threat in the memorable days of 1945. The symbolism of the holidays for me is still an important part of those ideas that I live for, although already the second year in a row I am unable to take part in their celebrations. But even in prison, they are life-affirming, as most of the people who surround me here could stand with me in the same column in freedom, shoulder to shoulder.

Antifascists Alexey Sutuga and Alexey Olesinov have already been in the"Butyrka" prison in Moscow for more than half a year. Investigator Y. Egorov, who is conducting the investigation, is expected to modify the criminal case into a more serious one. The current criminal case was instituted in April 2012 following section 213 part 2 of the Russian Criminal Code (hooliganism motivated by political enmity, performed by an organised group). Now it will be modified following section 30 part 2 and section 105 (these two sections together are called "murderous

Anti-fascist Alen Volikov, who is under arrest at Moscow's Butyrka pre-trial detention centre, was visited by police operatives on November 13, and subjected to psychological pressure aimed at making him admit his guilt. Volikov's lawyer Farid Murtazin reported that the operatives made threats of violence against his family members. The officers said that they would not leave Volikov's parents alone, and would set Federal Security Service (FSB) officers on them.

On the evening of November 8, Moscow's Tagansky court ordered that antifascist Alen Volikov be taken into custody. Volikov was detained on suspicion of involvement in the brawl at Moscow's Vozdukh club in December 2011, and of beating up a nationalist.