Activists who were arrested for protesting in Moscow against violence against women are now being held in horrific conditions and subjected to police violence in Moscow.
The six arrested were originally held for two days in police cells before being taken to court. The cell in which they were kept was freezing cold, it had a broken window with outside temperatures below freezing. They were given two blankets for five people and refused food. The cell was brightly lit and police refused to switch the lights off.
On arrival in court, one was sentenced to 48 hours detention and released, two to three days, two to four and Syrga Chidaryan to five days detention. Since their case which finished on Friday evening, they have been held in a freezing police van for over ten hours overnight, refused extra clothing and hot food. Despite the freezing temperatures outside, they are only allowed to go to the toilet in the street under police supervision.
When Syrga demanded that they be registered and accommodated in a proper facility, she was dragged around on the ground. Other activists have had their phones confiscated and they have not been allowed access to their lawyer.
Supporters have been at the court and picketing the police station, they have been bringing hot food and clothing but there is no indication they are being passed on.
Please phone, email urgently the Russian Embassy in your country with the following message:
On 25th November, the “International Day against violence against women” six people participating in a “single person picket” aimed at bring attention to the issue were arrested and charged under article 19 part 3 of the KoAP.
The six are Syrga Chidaran, Kseniya Bezdenezhnykh, Aleksandra Rogacheva, Marta Khromova, Elizaveta Drepeleva and Vitalii Kudrin
They were detained in deplorable conditions for 48 hours at the OVD Zamoskvorechye station until their court hearing, during which:
“The cell in which they were kept was freezing cold, it had a broken window with outside temperatures below freezing. They were given two blankets for five people and refused food. The cell was brightly lit and police refused to switch the lights off”.
In court, they were sentenced to between 2 and five days in detention. Vitaly Kurgin (2 days) was released. The remaining five were detained in a police ‘gazelle’ van in conditions which can only be described as torturous.
“Since their case which finished on Friday evening they have been held in a freezing police van, refused extra clothing and hot food. Despite freezing conditions outside they are only allowed to go to the toilet in the street under police supervision.
When Syrga demanded that they be registered and accommodated in a proper facility, she was dragged around on the ground. Other activists have had their phones confiscated and they have not been allowed access to their lawyer.
Supporters have been at the court and outside the police station, they have been bringing hot food and clothing but there is no indication they are being passed on.”
We demand:
- The immediate release of all those detained with the dropping of all charges;
- A public investigation into why those arrested were detained in such torturous conditions;
- Charges of assault to be lodged against those police officers responsible for using violence against those detained and their dismissal from the police force.
Email addresses for the Embassy in your country can be found at
Please also send copies to the following:
- The Russian Foreign Ministry at ministry@mid.ru
- The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Office of Human Rights at office@odihr.pl
- The Russian Permanent Representative at OSCE at rfosce@yandex.ru
Solidarity messages and photographs can be sent to: robertjones.isa@gmail.com
