Anarchist Black Cross

Currently we have addresses of 15 anarchist, anti-authoritarian or anti-fascist political prisoners, or their supporters in Russia and Belarus. Of these, 14  are interested to receive letters of support.

Situation with prisoners is evolving all the time, and we do not have addresses of most recently arrested comrades. Please keep visiting our prisoner list at http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Category:Prisoners_in_former_Soviet_Union for most up to date information.

Our friend Oleg is threatened with 5 years in prison, as he is facing charges according to statutes 213 (hooliganism) and 116 parts 2a, 2b (battery) of Russian criminal codex. Person who claims to be the victim is leader of leading far-right organisation of Kazan, "Soprotivlenie" (Resistance). This is already second such case against Oleg, first time he was charged 3 years ago. Officers of the E-center have been using every possible means against local activists - blackmailing, torture, illegal searches and arrests, calls to workplaces and universities.

Two new shortfilms with subtitles in English, dedicated to Belarusian anarchists political prisoners have been released on Belarusian series "Chronicles of the times of courts", one is dedicated to Ihar Alinevich, and another to Mikalaj Dziadok.   Ihar was kidnapped in Moscow by plain-clothes Belarusian officials in Moscow 28th of November 2010, and only several days later it was revealed that he was in remand prison of Belarusian KGB in Minsk.    

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

On wednesday 21st of November a demonstration against extradiction court of author Petr Silaev from Spain to Russia will be organised in Helsinki. Demonstraton is organised by Free Pit -network, free movement -network, Into publishing house, Free Pussy Riot Helsinki, PAND artists for peace and a number of other groups.

After two weeks ago the case against Nizhny Novgorod antifascists (the Antifa-RASH case) was sent back to prosecutor's office "to remove doubts, irregularities and obstacles" by a court, which is not likely to hear that case again, the case against Moscow-based antifascist Igor Kharchenko may set a precedent. The case, which is being heard by Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky district court, includes charges under Article 282, Part 2 of the Russian Criminal Code (participation in extremist community). 

Main investigations directorate of the Investigations Committee of the Russian Federation has announced that Alexandra Dukhanina, 19, under house arrest until March 6, 2013, was been issued with definitive charges over her alleged participation in May 6 clashes during a rally in Moscow's Bolotnaya square. Dukhanina is suspected of using force against police officers who were guarding public order during the event, Investigations Committee said.

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. 

At about 10.30 p.m. on November 6, antifascist Alen Volikov, 23, and his girlfriend were walking out of a shop in Moscow when police operatives, who drove up in three cars, ran over to them. According to the woman, they presented criminal police IDs and explained the detention by the fact that Volikov is on a federal wanted list.  

18th of October, lenta.ru news service transmitted that judge refused to sentence defendants of the so called "Antifa-RASH" case in Nizhni Novgorod. Judge Olga Koloverova demanded police to reinvestigate the case, in order to exclude contradictions, which are currently obvious.

We’re glad to announce that after 620 days in prison Pavel Syramolatau was released from prison by president pardon on September 27th. Pavel was arrested on January 17th 2011 due to attack on KGB building in Bobruisk, which was announced as solidarity action with anarchists arrested in Minsk in September 2010. In may 2011 after more than six months of investigation he was sentenced to 7 years in prison. Their action were classified by court as destruction of private property.

Under pressure of colony administration he signed petition for pardon this June.

27th of July, Basmanniy district court of Moscow remanded Alexey Polikhovich for one month. He is 16th suspect for participating to rioting in Bolotnaya square 6th of May 2012, in day of inauguration of Vladimir Putin. He was third arrested anarchist - Aleksandra Dukhanina has been in a house arrest since 29th of May, Stepan Zimin has been in remand prison since 9th of July. Alexey Polikhovich was arrested in the evening of 25th of July, his house was searched and his computer was confiscated.

Mikalai Dziadok (4,5 years) is finishing his 3rd month in a solitary cell after having refused to work on Saturdays. Work is obligatory in Belarusian penal colonies, but is regulated by the Labour Code, which prescribes that a person shouldn’t work more than 40 hours a week. Mikalai was forced to work more on Saturdays, but refused to do so. He was punished with 6 months of solitary confinement on June 1st. During this period he is deprived of all dates, phone calls and food supply from the outside.

4th of July, at Presnenski district court of Moscow, judge Dmitry Dolgopolov fulfilled request of the police to imprison two of the six anti-fascists, who were remanded in night of second of July, not far from club "Barrikada". 23 year old Irina Lipskaya and 19 year old Andrey Molchanov, suspected of having committed crimes according to statute of Russian criminal codex 213 part 2 (hooliganism, committed with a group of people). They will be held in remand prison at least until 2nd of September.

On Thursday, the 14th of June anarchist and member of the Moscow - Autonomous Action, Antti Rautiainen, was denied his Russian visa request. The refusal was not exaplained. 

Rautiainen had a Russian temporary residence permit, but it was annulled at the end of March. According to authorities, he had made "calls to violently overthrow constitutional order or Russian Federation." He was given 15 days to leave the Russian Federation.

Kharchenko Igor Olegovich
FKU SIZO-2 UFSIN Rossii po g. Moskve
ul. Novoslobodskaya d. 45
127055 Moskva Russia

Today, wednesday of 12th of June, supporters of Moscow anti-fascists made a painting to asphalt in front of Russian embassy in Helsinki, at Vuorimiehenkatu-street. 

Painting has text "freedom to imprisoned anti-fascists", with portraits of two anti-fascist, who are in remand imprisonment in Butyrka prison. 

Not so long ago, in Rostock, in the north-east of Germany, the anti-fascist
festival "Riot in My Heart" took place.

After the performance, band members from Los Fastidios(Verona, Italy)
and the Stage Bottles (Frankfurt, Germany)as well as one of the
organizers of the festival made a video message in solidarity with their
comrades in Russia.

This is a reminder for the Days of International Action in solidarity with
Russian Antifascists which have been repressed by authorities, to take
place from the 10th to the 17th of June.

Various Moscow antifascists including Alexey Olesinov and Alexey Sutuga are
being accused of having participated in a fight, which took place on the
17th of December 2011, at the club "Vozdukh." They are being charged with
Article 213 Part 2 of the Criminal Code ("hooliganism").

They are also being charged with having caused bodily injury to a resident
of Moscow on the 4th of December 2011. Neither defendant accepts this
chargers and are pleading innocent.

Pavel Krivonosov, Dmitriy Kolesov and Oleg Gembaruk (Nizhniy Novgorod
"RASH-Antifa" case ) are being charged with article 213 (hooliganism), 282.1
(participation in an extremist community), 115 (causing bodily harm) and 116
(assault). They are accused of having participated in an extremist
community, ostensibly created for the attack on neo-nazis (or "skinheads,
football fans," as the investigators have called them) to incite hatred
against a social group of "bourgeois-backed Citizens."

8th of june, investigation committee of Russian Federation announced, that home of 20 year old Stepan Zimin, who was detained as a suspect of having taken part to a riot at Bolotnaya square 6th of May was searched. According to police, a walkie-talkie, ski-mask, molotov cocktail and several passports were found. Stepan himself told his lawyer, Denis Deryukin, that during search only his own passport and army documents of his former flatmate were found. What comes to "molotov cocktail", he said that it was just a bottle of acetone.

5th of June lawyer of 18 year old Alexandra Dukhanina, Aleksandr Arutyunov told journalists, that his client has now been offically charged with "participation to riots" and "use of violence against a government official". "Currently Dukhanina was charged with statutes 318 ("use of violence against government official") and 212 part 3 ("incitement to riot) of Russian criminal codex.