Prisoner letter writing night, 1st July at Hydra Books

In response to the call for solidarity with Russian antifascist prisoners, Bristol ABC are holding a letter writing night, 5-7pm on the 1st of July at Hydra Bookshop, 34 Old Market. Come and learn about the situations of our imprisoned comrades in Russia, and write to them to show they’re not alone. Skill in Russian language appreciated but not essential, see you there!

Join international days of solidarity with Russian anarchist and antifascist prisoners 1st to 10th July, 2016

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.

We call on comrades from the whole world to show solidarity with Russian anarchists and antifascists – prisoners of the Putinist police state, and distribute information about the international solidarity decade as widely as possible, maybe organise an event in your own town.

It could be an info-party where letters could be written, a film show, a fund-raising event, a benefit gig, a protest action at the Russian embassy in your own country, a solidarity action – only your fantasy is the limit.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1774132002816021/

“Vkontakte” event:  http://vk.com/abc_solidarity_days

Russian anarchist Elizaveta Tsvetkova Sentenced to Year of Corrective Labour for Leaflet about Police

(From Avtonom.org)

31 may 2016: Taganrog City Court Judge Georgy Serebryanikov sentenced 31-year-old local resident Elizaveta Tsvetkova to a year of corrective labor for disseminating leaflets criticizing the police, reports Caucasian Knot. As published on the court’s website, the verdict stipulates that fifteen percent of Tsvetkova’s wages will be docked by the state for a year. The activist has also been charged 6,000 rubles in court costs.

According to investigators, Tsvetkova downloaded a leaflet criticizing the police from the Vkontakte social network, printed it out, and the day before Law Enforcement Officers Day, in November 2014, posted it at public transport stops and on street lamps.

Serebryanikov found the defendant guilty under Criminal Code Article 281.2 (incitement of hatred or enmity toward the social group “police officers”), which stipulates a maximum punishment of four years in a penal colony.

 

Russia: Repressions summary for January-February 2014

via Autonomous Action/Moscow ABC

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

“extremism”, detentions during Jan19 actions, verdicts in Moscow, Murmansk, Petersburg and other “heroic deeds” of cops from “E”-department. If you think that we have missed something in our article, or you know about other cases of repressions, please write to abc-msk@riseup.net On donations for ABC-Moscow check guidelines from here: http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Donate

Russia: Well-known Russian anti-fascist, Alexey Gaskarov, arrested

via Autonomous Action

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.

The 6th of May was one day prior to Putin’s inauguration, and a mass demonstration had been called by the opposition. The winter and spring of 2011-2012 saw the biggest wave of political demonstrations in Russia in almost 20 years, as tens of thousands of people went out on the streets to protest election fraud. The 6th of May was also the first time authorities moved to crush these protests. According to the opposition more than 600 people were arrested, and as of now 28 people have been charged, who have been remanded, been put under house arrest or have been forced to emigrate.

On that day, Alexey Gaskarov was beaten up by OMON with batons and boots. He filed a complaint against the officers who beat him up, but nobody was charged. Now, a year after, and just a few days before the anniversary of the 6th of May demonstration, as Alexey was about to be at the head of the column of the left-wing and anti-fascist bloc, he has had a set of absurd charges brought against him and has been arrested.

Alexey Gaskarov was born on the 18th of June 1985, and has been politically active since his school years.

Gaskarov gained fame in the summer and autumn of 2010, when during the protest campaign against the destruction of the Khimki forest, he was  arrested along with Maxim Solopov and was accused of orchestrating an attack by 300-400 young anti-fascists, who supported the environmental struggle, against the administration of the city of Khimki.  In autumn 2010, Alexey Gaskarov and Maxim Solopov were released from prison, thanks to a massive international campaign for the “Khimki Hostages”. In the summer of 2011, Gaskarov was cleared of all charges.

Since the beginning of the mass demonstrations against the falsification of the elections in Russia in December of 2011, Alexey Gaskarov has been an active participant. He was one of the speakers in the biggest of the demonstrations, on the 24th of December 2011 in Sakharov street in Moscow, and was in charge of the security for that meeting, who fought back against the Neo-Nazi provocations.

He is being held in the police jail of Petrovka 38, awaiting his appointment in court at 11am on the 29th of April 2013 at the Basmanniy courthouse in Moscow. Pending court decision, Gaskarov will be remanded or released.

Additional information:

• gaskarov.info@gmail.com
• https://twitter.com/gaskarov_info
• Lawyer of Gaskarov, Svetlana Sidorkina: +7 (926) 557-90-16

The Russian Anarchist Movement: A talk by Antii Rautiainen of Moscow ABC @ kebele

The Russian Anarchist Movement: A talk by Antii Rautiainen
Sunday 15th July @ Kebele Social Centre

Bristol Anarchist Black Cross presents the Bristol segment of a European speaking tour with Antti Rautiainen. A finnish anarchist from Moscow who will talk about the anarchist movement in Rusia, it’s successes and failures.

Antti lived in Moscow for 13 years, participating in anarchist activities. His residence permit was revoked in March of this yr, allegedly because he “called for violent overthrow of constitutional order, or otherwise endangered the safety of Russian Federation or its citizens”. He is a member of Autonomous Action and Moscow ABC.

The anarchist movement in Moscow has faced huge challenges recently. We strongly encourage you to come along and hear Antti’s first hand account of these experiences.

We will also be launching Bristol ABC’s new prisoner art exhibition at Kebele.

Vegan food served from: 6:30pm
Suggested donation for food: £3

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Solidarity, Food and Films

Anarchist anti-fascist murdered in Samara, Russia – friends and family need support!

Nikita was at a local meeting against election fraud, holding placate "We do not need no authority! Liberty or death! Our candidate is self-governance!"

On the 9th of February, 6:30 in the morning in area of institute “FIAN” a janitor found body of Nikita Kalin, born in 1991. 8:00 police arrived, and 11:00 AM  police contacted mother of the murdered man. According to Nikita’s mother, he was stabbed 61 times, besides this his ribs were fractured multiple times, and head was wounded as well. No property was stolen. Currently a suspect of the murder is arrested, and Nikita’s blood was found on the clothes of the arrested.

It is obvious, that Nikita was attacked by a group, and the police also told his mother off the record, that detained suspect is a national socialist activist, and refuses to name any suspects. Besides the brutality of the murder, the police investigaters have still not questioned Nikita’s mother, or his friend who was the last person who saw it. Due to this, we suppose that there will be an attempt to cover the case, as it often hapens in Russia. As well, suspect has already hired a lawyer. We suspect, that investigation is working on interests of the arrested, and thus support is necessary. At this point, a human rights organisation has provided a lawyer, but funds are still needed for funeral costs.

Nikita was from a simple working class family, and never hide his anti-fascist and anarchist views. In case you want to help friends and family of Nikita with funeral costs, you may donate to Anarchist Black Cross of Moscow: http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Donate

For more information go here: https://avtonom.org/en/news/anarchist-anti-fascist-murdered-samara-russia-friends-and-family-need-support

Prisoner List October 2011

The latest list of ‘political prisoners’, compiled by Bristol ABC from a large number of sources, is now available.

As ever the updating of this list is a labour of love in these times of ever growing numbers of comrades sent down, as resistance mounts around the world against the horrors unleashed by the forces of capital and states everywhere. Whilst we endeavour to make sure the information is correct, we could fill a hundred pages and still not include all those who need solidarity & support – and thats without even having the confirmed info from many parts of the world. As it is, in many instances we are now putting in links to sources in other countries for you to follow yourself. Here is the list (updated 25 oct 2011):
As an open office doc – Prisoner list_Oct2011
As a pdf – Prisoner list_Oct2011

For an explanation of the need to support prisoners, and tips on writing to prisoners, see our resources page.
In solidarity with all those locked up and still struggling!

Political prisoners list July 2011

Here is the monthly list of political prisoners compiled by Bristol ABC, for July 2011.
As an open office doc: prisoner-list_july2011

It is a worrying fact that the list of political prisoners is growing both here in the UK and around the world. The fact of the matter is that we barely scratch the surface of the list of people doing time for their political beliefs and actions. Indeed, if you look through our list, you will note that details of political prisoners across eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and the middle east are almost entirely absent. These peoples’ plights are virtually unrecorded (in the english language at least) , and they number in the tens of thousands, with many disappearing forever, as often as not murdered by their repressive regimes.