16th of July 22 year old anti-fascist Aleksei Bychin was arrested in St. Petersburg. He is facing charges according to statute 111, part 1 of Russian criminal codex (consciously causing grievous bodily harm). 18th of July he was put to remand prison.

In night between 12th and 13th of June a group of around 20 anti-fascist punks was hanging around in the city. Aleksei and his friend were behind the main group. A group of two Nazi skinheads passed by them, they throwing "sieg hail"-greetings. Aleksei understood, that Nazis were about to attack him, as one of them was carrying a broken bottle. A fight started, and Aleksei was forced to use knife against one of the attackers. He wounded one of the Nazis with a knife, and fascists escaped. Eventually it become known that one of the Nazis was a police officer.

In June and July St. Petersburg police was investing the case, using a wide variety of illegal means. A number of punks from St. Petersburg and surrounding areas were taken to "discussions" which lasted hours, no protocols were made during these "discussions". People were threatened, illegally detained after concerts, contents of mobile phones were confiscated, police even set up false accounts in popular Russian social networking site vkontakte.ru (a facebook copycat) in order to gather information.

16th of July in St. Petersburg one anti-fascist punk was arrested while leaving from home. He was taken to 76th police station in Mytinskaya street 3, and chained to a battery for several hours. After this, he was forced to call Aleksei Bichin and to propose him a meeting in the center of the city. In this meeting, Aleksei was arrested and taken to 76th police station. Police refused food and water, which friends of Aleksei carried to police station. It is also worth of noticing that during interrogation of one of the witnesses of the events in 76th police station in 17th of July, police were drunken, announced that they are supporting National-Socialism and were throwing sieg heil-greetings. Home of Aleksei and his friend were searched as well.

We, friends and comrades of Aleksei are certain, that in fight during night between 12th and 13th of July he was acting out of selfdefence. We are supporting any means of resistance against Neonazism, direct and physical action included. For us it is obvious, that government organs are fed with nationalist mood, and while these tendencies are not outrooted, we may not trust a single word from speeches of government officials for tolerancy and against xenophobia.

Anti-fascist information group

e-mail: antifa_spb (at) riseup.net
phone: +79817452556

Original text in Russian:

http://piter.indymedia.ru/node/5055HYPERLINK "http://piter.indymedia.ru/node/5055"
http://ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/20741/index.phpHYPERLINK "http://ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/20741/index.php"

Bank account of St. Petersburg Anarchist Black Cross

(you must transfer money in euros, only transfer from a private person is allowed.In case of problems with transfer, contact addresses above).

beneficiary Bank: Bank VTG24 (JSC)
In favour Acc 30301 840 2
00001060000, St.Petersburg, Russia
Bank
VTB24(JSC) Branch7806
Swift: CB GU RUMM
Beneficiary 40817978603060007327

Vargina Yekaterina Ionovna