Moscow

According to the FSB, Alexander Kolchenko is a member of the anti-Russian underground in Crimea. Along with three other arrested residents of the peninsula, he has been accused of terrorism. The New Times has tried to find out what the charges are based on (it took nearly a year to gather the evidence), how the Russian security services took over Crimea, and what residents of Simferopol think about the relatives of the arrestees.

Alexander Kolchenko is a Crimean anarchist, social activist and antifascist who is held in captivity by the Russian authorities. Along with other Crimean activists, he has been kidnapped by the Russian FSB (ex-KGB) and is now detained as a political hostage in Lefortovo jail in Moscow. He is charged with committing “acts of terrorism” and “belonging to a terrorist community”.

Ilya Romanov, a 46-years old Russian anarchist, has been under arrest for more than a year for now, from October 29, 2013. He is charged with an attempt of a terrorist attack (art.30 of 205.1 of Russian Criminal Code) and of illegal manufacturing of explosives (222.1 CC). He declares that his rigths are badly violated. In violation of the law courts held behind closed doors, the investigation takes unreasonably long, and all his complaints rejected. His imprisonment was continued till February 26, 2015.

The story of this interview is different from how interviews are usually recorded. The person answering the questions is in the place not very accessible for journalists – Lefortovo Moscow Pretrial Detention Facility that is still known as RF FSB SIZO (RF FSB SIZO - pre-trial detention facility of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation – transl.).

Lefortovo is the prison that has both special detention conditions and special security measures.

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

From now on, we are going to publish summaries of repressions against anarchists, antifascists and social activists in Russia on a regular basis, as well as on how the state opposes our activity. In the January-February issue: sudden amnesty of antifascists in Moscow, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, attempt to ban "Avtonom" zine due to

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.

As 20 years have passed since tragical events of October 1993, we republish this detailed account stored in flag.blackened archive. 

27th of June 2013, arrest of Irina was prolonged until 2nd of October. She was arrested 2nd of July 2012, so now Irina has already spent more than one year in prison without a court! Arrest of Irina was prolonged due to dubious claims of her alleged "victims" that they still have not acquintanced themselves with the results of the investigation. 

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

7th of June, anti-fascist Alexey "Shkobar" Olesinov was released pending trial. Moscow city court made a decision on appeal against arrest, filled by Olesinov's lawyer Svetlana Sidorkina. Court released Olesinov, as most serious charges against him (Causing grievous bodily harm, statute 111 of the Russian criminal codex) were dropped in late May. 

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.

Alexei Gaskarov, a Russian social activist and economist, was arrested in Moscow on April 27, 2013. Having gained fame as an anti-fascist, he has over the past two years become a visible young public politician thanks to his energy, intelligence, passion, and commitment.

On sunday, the 28th of April 2013, a well-known Russian anti-fascist, Alexey Gaskarov, was arrested in Moscow. He is a member of the Coordination Council of Russian opposition. The investigation committee of the Russian Federation has accused him of having pacticipated in riots and violence against representative of authorities on the 6th of May 2012, when OMON (Russian riot police) attacked a peaceful demonstration.

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.