News

Last autumn, a longstanding case against Nizhni Novgorod anti-fascists was returned to investigation, and for a while it seemed like a final victory . However, in contrary to these expectations, the case returned to court this spring and things do not look too good.

At 8:00 a.m. 3rd of April, the officers from the Centre Against Extremism came with a search warrant to 4 adresses of Kazan antifascists.

Anarchist total objector Topi Lauko began his prison sentence 18th of
December in a low-security prison. He was transferred to a half-way house, maintained by Siltavalmennus NGO, in second half of February. Although in half-way house the conditions of detention are not harsh, he would still be happy to correspond with comrades around the world. He will be finally released 24th of April 2013.

Topi Louko
Vehnämyllynkatu 4
33560 Tampere Finland

Anarcha-feminists came today, 12 february 2013 to the embassy of Egypt in Moscow to express solidarity with victims of sexual assault-violence, that happened all through Egypt during revolution, and even after reovolution, when Brothers Muslims are in power.

We don’t have illusions about Egyptian government and we don’t ask it to protect demonstrators, who are actually protesting against system.

Today I received the final decision of the National Court of Spain on my case - the extradition request of the Russian police is rejected. What surprised me well was that they added a profound explanation on their decision - including parts very humiliating to the Russian side.

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.

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20th of January 2 PM at Kupoli of New student house, Mannerheimintie 5 B 7. kerros

2011 was the year that is remembered from the Occupy protests, which spread all around the world. In North America, most profound and radical protests took place in Oakland, where thousands of protesters
shut down Port of Oakland, the fifth busiest port in USA 2nd of November 2011. Calamity Barucha took intense part to the protest from the very first day, and she will tell via skype about her experiences, lessons of the

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 November 18th, comrades in Yekaterinburg carried out an action for theFood Not Bombs campaign that they dedicated to anarchists from Delta squat, in Thessaloniki, as a token of international solidarity.

Here follows a raw translation of brief excerpts from their communiqué:

Demonstration started from senate square 6 PM, and visited Finnish ministry of foreign affairs and Spanish embassy at Katajanokka. Demonstrators shouted "Freedom to Pit" and "Refugee status is not meaningless" in Finnish.

Demonstration was organised by Free Pit -network, Freedom of Movement -network, Into publishing house, Free Pussy Riot Helsinki and PAND - artists for peace.

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.

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.

The crackdown against anti-fascists in Russia has recently gained momentum. The country’s repressive law enforcement authorities view involvement in the anti-fascist movement as a crime in itself.