22 March the Moscow court took the decision to sentence our comrade Matvey Aleksandrov to 15 days in prison for his participation in a peaceful demonstration on 23 January. This happened immediately after his release from a previous 25 day sentence for distributing leaflets outside Moscow University calling for support for the protest to mark International Womens’ Day.
On 5 April Matvey should be released and we fear that he will be arrested once again on the eve of a new round of mass protests. This carousel of arrests could continue for a long time! But there is another danger, that Matvey could be charged with a multiple breach of rules about participating in public acts — a criminal charge that could result in a prison sentence of several years.
9 March in the town of Izhevsk, the feminist and eco-activist Anastasia Ponkina, who is a member of the Russian Socialist Movement was charged with participation in the protest on 23 January. The police claim that she was walking along the road calling for other protesters to “follow her example” on the demonstration, in which several thousands of Izhevskers were participating. Anastasia faces 5 years in prison. 24 March police searched the office of the Izhevsk RSM, seizing computers, printed materials, banners and placards. It is possible that the organisation faces a frame up charge of being “an extremist organisation”.
All this demonstrates that Putin’s regime has turned to attack those socialists in Russia, who actively participate in mass protests and call for organised struggle against the dictatorship of the oligarchs and the capitalist system. We need active solidarity to oppose these attacks.
Please organise protests at Russian embassies and consulates across the world on 1 April and send photographs in solidarity to robertjones.isa@gmail.com.
You can find placards in Russian and English here
You can find an instagram post on the issue here
You can find here a model protest letter below
Freedom for the socialists Matvey Aleksandrov and Anastasia Ponkina.
Freedom for all political prisoners in Russia.
To the Ambassador of the Russian Federation
Local address
Date
Dear Ambassador,
It has been brought to our attention that a campaign is being conducted against democratic socialists in the Russian Federation. On 27 February the Nikulinsky Regional Court in Moscow sent Matvey Aleksandrov to prison for 25 days under Article 20.2 Part 8 of the Administrative Code. This was in response to the planned distribution of leaflets by Matvey in support of International Women’s Day.
On his release he was immediately rearrested and sent to prison for a further 15 days under the same article. This was in response to his peaceful participation in a peaceful protest on 23 January.
On 9 March in Izhevsk socialist Anastasia Ponkina was arrested and she faces charges under Article 213(b) of the criminal code — the so-called political hooliganism clause. She faces up to 5 years in prison for participating peacefully in a peaceful protest on 23 January.
These repressive measures are being taken in the context of a much wider campaign of imprisonment and harassment of political opponents of the Russian government, which we find unacceptable.
We urge you to put all possible pressure to ensure that the charges against Matvey
Aleksandrov and Anastasia Ponkina are dropped. Freedom for the socialists Matvey Aleksandrov and Anastasia Ponkina. Freedom for all political prisoners in Russia.
Yours sincerely,
