Skip to content or view mobile version

Home | Mobile | Editorial | Mission | Privacy | About | Contact | Help | Security | Support

A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

Nizhny Novgorod anti-fascists need your solidarity and support!

Vladimir Smirnov | 15.02.2012 15:02 | Anti-racism | Repression

Nizhny Novgorod anti-fascists need your solidarity and support! A call for coordinated actions around the world on March 16–18, 2012

Friends and comrades!

We, the anti-fascists and anarchists of Nizhny Novgorod (Russia), appeal to concerned people around the world. The political police (the Center for Combating Extremism or Center “E”) have fabricated a criminal case against our comrades. Anti-fascism has been outlawed in our city. We need your solidarity and support!

What are the charges against our friends and comrades?

Five young men, our friends, have been charged with organizing an “extremist community” under the exotic name of “Antifa-RASH.” According to our illiterate police, this strange acronym stands (in English) for “Red anarhia skinheads” [sic] and should be translated from their broken English slang into Russian as “red anarchy of skinheads” (a combination of all the fears of ordinary law-abiding citizens.) Artyom Bystrov, Albert Gainutdinov, Pavel Krivonosov, Dmitry Kolesov and Oleg Gambaruk are alleged to have formed this organization in order to carry out assaults on people espousing ultra-rightwing views and to incite hatred against them and against wealthy people.

Why do we claim that the case is fabricated?

The notorious IDs ( http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/404683_235085506573621_100002165201940_549826_1526336598_n.jpg— this is a photograph from the police case file), which allegedly prove that the accused were involved in an extremist organization, were planted during police searches (during which a great number of procedural violations were committed, including the fact that most of the accused were altogether absent when their apartments were searched). Thus, during a police search of the apartment of one of the accused, who was not home at the time, the official witnesses (who are required to be present under Russian law) sat outside the closed door of the apartment while the police, who had entered through a window, did as they pleased in the empty apartment. The alleged IDs contain a crude spelling error (it would be odd if leftist activists had spelled the word “anarchy” wrong). The charter of this “organization,” which was likewise planted by police during these searches, stipulates a hierarchical structure, unconditional submission to the leader, and even punishment for disobedient members. These “rules” are, of course, incompatible with leftist views and with the ideals of liberty and equality that our comrades espouse.

The second part of the criminal case, which alleges violent actions against neo-Nazis, is likewise filled with fabrications and contradictions. Pavel Krivonosov and Artyom Bystrov have airtight alibis for the time when they allegedly assaulted ultra-rightists, and most of the victims did not identify them as their assailants. As for the assault on the neo-Nazi Dmitry Redkin by anti-fascists Oleg Gambaruk and Dmitry Kolesov (a charge to which both of them have honestly confessed), this was an ordinary brawl outside a bar that had nothing to do with a premeditated political action.
Why have police singled out these men for persecution?

It is in the interests of the political police to punish these men in particular. They have never made a secret of their anti-fascist, leftist and oppositional views.

Artyom Bystrov is the principal accused. Since late April, Bystrov has been under house arrest. He has been involved in Food Not Bombs (which distributes free food, clothes and medicines to the needy) for many years. Like his comrade Pavel Krivonosov, Artyom Bystrov is an anti-fascist, a leftist social activist and an environmentalist. Bystrov and Krivonosov have been involved in organizing and providing security for anti-fascist concerts, and have taken part in animal rights, environmental, anti-nuclear and anti-fascist protests.

The political police have declared that Albert Gainutdinov is not only the founder and leader of the mythical “extremist organization,” but also the creator of the web site  http://streetmob.org/. Nizhny Novgorod police apparently bear a personal animosity towards this site insofar as it has exposed their crimes as well – instances where they have tortured anti-fascists, anarchists and opposition activists. At the moment, Gainutdinov has been forced into hiding: he knows perfectly well that, if arrested, he would be threatened with physical violence or torture at the hands of Center “E” police (about which they write openly in the comments section on this very same site).

Dmitry Kolesov is a musician in a hardcore group who also makes no secret of his anti-fascist convictions.

Because of his lack of experience, Oleg Gambaruk, under pressure and threats from the police, confessed to involvement not only in the fight outside the bar, but also in the mythical “extremist community” (therefore we do not help him).

The guilt of the other accused men lies precisely in the fact that they refused to agree to act as informers when police officers attempted to force them to do this during interrogations and even under torture. They are guilty of refusing to tolerate police abuse and rampant neo-Nazi violence on our streets. They are guilty of caring about the most pressing social, environmental and political issues.

How can you help?

First of all, we need your solidarity. The authorities have ignored all the outrageous violations of human rights committed by the political police, and they refuse to acknowledge the clear fabrications committed in this criminal investigation. Our only hope is the pressure of public opinion, international attention to the case, and widespread media coverage. On March 16–18, 2012, we call for days of coordinated actions in solidarity with the Nizhny Novgorod anti-fascists.

Second, we need money to pay lawyers. Alas, we are forced to turn to you for help: we need to raise at least $3,000. We would be grateful if you were able to make a personal donation to the defense fund for our comrades or hold benefits or concerts to raise money on their behalf. The first court hearing in the case has been scheduled for early March. We will be providing you with regular updates on how much money we have raised and how much money remains to be raised.

Thank you! We are counting on your solidarity and support.

Nizhny Novgorod Anti-Fascists

News about the solidarity campaign and regular updates on the case
 http://avtonom.org/nn
 http://freeantifann.livejournal.com/
 http://www.facebook.com/groups/215495161878537/

Where to make donations

1.SKRILL (MONEYBOOKERS)
Email:  olegevgenich@gmail.com
Customer ID: 28988570 (EURO only)

2.Alfa-Bank
DOLLARS
Beneficiary’s bank Alfa-Bank Moscow
S.W.I.F.T. ALFARUMM
Beneficiary’s Acc. № 40817840408350001059
Beneficiary ALEKSANDR FITASOV
Correspondent bank of beneficiary’s bank WELLS FARGO BANK N.A.
S.W.I.F.T. PNBPUS3NNYC
Acc. With corresp Bank № 2000193651652

EURO
Beneficiary's bank Alfa-Bank Moscow
S.W.I.F.T. ALFARUMM
Beneficiary’s Acc. № 40817978408350001060
Beneficiary ALEKSANDR FITASOV
Correspondent bank of beneficiary’s bank COMMERZBANK AG, Frankfurt am Main
S.W.I.F.T. COBADEFF
Acc. With corresp Bank № 400886894501EUR

Vladimir Smirnov
- e-mail: calogero.nn@gmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.streetmob.org/en/nncc

Upcoming Coverage
View and post events
Upcoming Events UK
24th October, London: 2015 London Anarchist Bookfair
2nd - 8th November: Wrexham, Wales, UK & Everywhere: Week of Action Against the North Wales Prison & the Prison Industrial Complex. Cymraeg: Wythnos o Weithredu yn Erbyn Carchar Gogledd Cymru

Ongoing UK
Every Tuesday 6pm-8pm, Yorkshire: Demo/vigil at NSA/NRO Menwith Hill US Spy Base More info: CAAB.

Every Tuesday, UK & worldwide: Counter Terror Tuesdays. Call the US Embassy nearest to you to protest Obama's Terror Tuesdays. More info here

Every day, London: Vigil for Julian Assange outside Ecuadorian Embassy

Parliament Sq Protest: see topic page
Ongoing Global
Rossport, Ireland: see topic page
Israel-Palestine: Israel Indymedia | Palestine Indymedia
Oaxaca: Chiapas Indymedia
Regions
All Regions
Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World
Other Local IMCs
Bristol/South West
Nottingham
Scotland
Social Media
You can follow @ukindymedia on indy.im and Twitter. We are working on a Twitter policy. We do not use Facebook, and advise you not to either.
Support Us
We need help paying the bills for hosting this site, please consider supporting us financially.
Other Media Projects
Schnews
Dissident Island Radio
Corporate Watch
Media Lens
VisionOnTV
Earth First! Action Update
Earth First! Action Reports
Topics
All Topics
Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista
Major Reports
NATO 2014
G8 2013
Workfare
2011 Census Resistance
Occupy Everywhere
August Riots
Dale Farm
J30 Strike
Flotilla to Gaza
Mayday 2010
Tar Sands
G20 London Summit
University Occupations for Gaza
Guantanamo
Indymedia Server Seizure
COP15 Climate Summit 2009
Carmel Agrexco
G8 Japan 2008
SHAC
Stop Sequani
Stop RWB
Climate Camp 2008
Oaxaca Uprising
Rossport Solidarity
Smash EDO
SOCPA
Past Major Reports
Encrypted Page
You are viewing this page using an encrypted connection. If you bookmark this page or send its address in an email you might want to use the un-encrypted address of this page.
If you recieved a warning about an untrusted root certificate please install the CAcert root certificate, for more information see the security page.

Global IMC Network


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech