July 25, 2018 – Fourth Annual International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners

Announcing the 4th annual call for an international day of solidarity with antifascist prisoners.

Since the last July 25^th International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners, the worldwide struggle against the nightmare of fascism and the far-right has grown and intensified. The news bulletins steadily report the racist and bigoted attacks, the harassment of journalists, the demonization of refugees and migrants, and the increasing presence and violence of organized fascist and far-right groups. While the bigoted, nationalist imagination reproduces itself on a global scale, it also attempts to turn us all into prisoners of the border.

Originating in 2014 as a Day of Solidarity with Jock Palfreeman—an Australian man serving a 20-year sentence in Bulgaria for defending two Romani men from an attack by fascist football hooligans—the International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners aims to break down the borders and build an international response against fascism. By having an event, raising money, or dedicating an action to these comrades, we can simultaneously strengthen our local movements by ensuring that those who have acted to protect our communities against the fascist threat are never forgotten, as well as create the links of a powerful international solidarity which can transcend both the prison and the border wall.

This July 25^th, we call on antifascists worldwide to act in solidarity with antifascist prisoners—the comrades who have been behind bars for many years, the friends who have just begun their sentences, the mates still awaiting trial—because they are in there for us, and so we must be out here for them!

No Pasaran!
Until All Are Free!

USE THE HASHTAG: #J25antifa

««««««Global List of Antifascist Prisoners»»»»»»

Below is a list of global antifascist prisoners who are currently imprisoned. Hundreds more have been arrested but have not been convicted; we encourage local groups to support the antifascists of their choosing who are in legal trouble. If you are not donating to a specific person, a good option is to support the International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund.

Please contact us: if you know an antifa prisoner who is missing form the list (include their details, and what languages they can read); if you can help translate the call; or if you are planning an event that, so that we can help publicize it: [email protected].

EUROPE

Belarus
Roman Bogdan

Roman Bogdan was arrested on April 15, 2015, as part of the long-going state repression of anti-fascists in Brest, stemming from a fight between anti-fascists and fascists on May 8, 2013. In October, Roman was sentenced to 8 years in a penal colony and must pay 3500 Euro in damages. On December 15, 2015 a regional appellate court commuted his sentence by 2 years.

He can read Russian and simple English phrases.

Address:
Roman Bogdan
ul. Pervaya Zavodskaya, 8,
IK-17, otryad 12
213010 Shklov
Mogilevskaya obl.
BELARUS

http://abc-belarus.org/?p=6153&lang=en

Vadim Boyko

Vadim Boyko was arrested on March 22, 2016, on suspicion of participating in a fight that took place on June 29, 2014 between anti-fascist supporters of FC Partyzan and right-wing soccer hooligans from FC Torpedo. The arrests in 2014 were not followed up until 2016, when a special political department decided to start the case with a series of police raids on the antifascists who were alleged to have been involved. On March 10, 2017 Vadim Boyko was sentenced to 4 years of jail, and was re-arrested in July for transfer to a penal colony.

He can read Russian and simple English phrases.

Address:Address:
Boyko Vadim Sergeyevich
IK-17
ul. Pervaya Zavodskaya, 8
213004, Shklov, Mogilevskaya obl.
BELARUS

https://abc-belarus.org/?p=6874&lang=en

Tomas Kovinkski

Tomas Kovinski is an antifascist from Minsk who was detained on September 27, 2016 after a fight with a right-wing football hooligan. On January 25, 2017 was convicted of malicious hooliganism and sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.

 

He can read Russian and simple English phrases.

Address:

Kovinski Tomas Sergeyevich
IUOT-55
ul. Sotsialisticheskaya, 7
220021 Minsk
Belarus

https://abc-belarus.org/?p=8745&lang=en

Vlad Lenko

Vlad Lenko is an antifascist from Ivatsevichi (Brest region). He was arrested on December 27, 2014, and accused of taking part in a fight against local neo-Nazis earlier in December. Vlad was charged with group hooliganism and aggravated bodily harm, and in September 2015 was sentenced to 6 years in a penal colony.

He can read Russian and simple English phrases.

 

Address:
Lenko Vlad Igorevich
211300 Vitebskaya obl.
Vitebskiy rajon, Vitba, IK-3
BELARUS

http://abc-belarus.org/?p=6240&lang=en

Bulgaria
Jock Palfreeman

Jock Palfreeman is an Australian anti-fascist political prisoner serving a twenty-year prison sentence in Bulgaria for the rather mysterious death of a neo-Nazi football hooligan who was part of a group attacking two Romani men in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2007. Jock came to the aid of the Romani, and quickly found himself the focus of the attack. Bulgarian authorities did everything they could to ensure that Jock did not receive a fair trial, and after his sentencing have refused–in contravention of their own treaties–to transfer him to Australia to serve the rest of his time closer to his family. Jock wants donations for him sent to the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Association, which he is part of.

He can read English and Bulgarian.

Address:
Jock Palfreeman
Sofia Central Prison
21 General Stoletov Boulevard
Sofia 1309, BULGARIA

http://www.brightonabc.org.uk/jock.html

Russia
Aleksandr Kolchenko

Aleksandr  Kolchenko was arrested in Crimea on May 17, 2014, along with several others, and accused by Russian authorities of participation in a “terrorist group” which planned explosions near the Eternal Fire memorial and the Lenin monument in Simferopol, as well as having sabotaged railway tracks and electricity lines. Aleksandr was also alleged to have carried out two arson attacks in April: against the headquarters of the Russian Unity-Party, and the Russian Community of Crimea. He was transferred to Moscow and kept in draconian conditions. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Russian authorities claimed that Aleksandr was a member of Right Sektor, a Ukrainian ultra-right nationalist organization, but he has no connection to the group—a fact confirmed by relatives and friends. Moreover, Aleksandr is an antifascist and anarchist who consistently opposed nationalistic movements in Crimea and faced constant fascist attacks for his activism. For example, after a film screening about murdered anti-fascist journalist Anastasiya Baburova, he was attacked by thirty Nazis with knives.

Address:
Kolchenko Aleksandru Aleksandrovichu, 1989
456612
Chelyabinskaya obl, Kopeisk,
ul.Kemerovskaya, 20,
IK-6, otryad 4
RUSSIA

Please note: Moscow ABC advises that letters in English are seldom accepted in Russian prisons, so please write only in Russian (try using a translation program), or just send photos and postcards.

http://avtonom.org/en/news/repressions-against-crimean-activists-political-context
http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Aleksandr_Kolchenko

Russian Torture Cases
There has been heavy repression of anarchists and antifascists by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). In October 2017, FSB officers arrested six antifascists who played airlift in the woods. The FSB planted weapons and explosives in some of their vehicles, and tortured them in pre-trial detention–beating them, hanging them upside down, electrocuting them, and threatening them with even worse. This torture was used to forced the arrestees to validate forged testimony professing that they are part of an alleged terrorist “network.” At the end of January 2018, two more antifascists were arrested in St. Petersburg. They were also beaten, tortured by means of electrical shock, and forced to agree that they too were members of this invented “network.”

As of now, seven anti-fascists are behind bars and another is under house arrest. All are facing up to a decade in prison. We encourage you to read more about the case in the links below. We have included addresses for those who have them listed.

Yuliy Boyarshinov

Boyarshinov Yuliy Nikolayevich, 1991
SIZO-6 Gorelovo
188508 Russia
Leningradskaya obl.
Lomonosovskiy rayon
MO Villozskoe selskoe poselenie
ulitsa Zarechnaya tupik 22
RUSSIA

Andrey Chernov

Victor Filinkov

Filinkov Victor Sergeevich, 1994
SIZO-6 Gorelovo
188508 Russia
Leningradskaya obl.
Lomonosovskiy rayon
MO Villozskoe selskoe poselenie
ulitsa Zarechnaya tupik 22
RUSSIA

Vasiliy Kuksov

Kuksov Vasiliy Alekseevich, 1988
SIZO-1
440039 Russia
Penzenskaya obl.
Penza, ulitsa Karakozova 30
RUSSIA

Dmitriy Pchelintsev

Arman Sagynbaev

Sagynbaev Arman Dauletovich 1992
SIZO-1
440039 Russia
Penzenskaya obl.
Penza
ulitsa Karakozova 30
RUSSIA

Ilya Shakurskiy

Igor Shishkin

Shishkin Igor Dmitrievich, 1991
SIZO-3 FSIN
191123 Russia
Saint-Petersburg
Shpalernaya str. h.25
RUSSIA

Please note: Moscow ABC advises that letters in English are seldom accepted in Russian prisons, so please write only in Russian (try using a translation program), or just send photos and postcards.

More Info:

https://itsgoingdown.org/why-the-torture-cases-of-anarchists-in-russia-matters/
https://rupression.com/en/person/

Spain
Rodrigo Lanza

Rodrigo Lanza is an antifascist from Chile who is living in Zaragoza, Spain. In December of 2017, Rodrigo was out with friends at a bar when they were approached by a man who began insulting Rodrigo, calling him “sudaka” (a derogatory term for Latin Americans) and telling him to go back to his country. As Rodrigo attempted to leave the bar, Victor Lainez, a member of the fascist Falange group with many friends in the local fascist scene, pulled a knife. Rodrigo defended himself and in the ensuing fight, Lainez was killed.

Occurring during the movement for Catalan independence and the accompanying resurgence of hardcore Spanish nationalism, the press worked overtime to vilify Rodrigo as a ‘foreigner,’ squatter, and former political prisoner. They claimed that Lainez was attacked at random for wearing Spanish flag suspenders, and built a bogus narrative of an innocent Spanish citizen murdered simply for showing support for his country.

Rodrigo is currently in prison awaiting trial and faces a lengthy prison sentence as well as expulsion from Spain.

We are currently trying to determine if Rodrigo would like to receive letters.

More Info:

https://itsgoingdown.org/spanish-media-side-fascist-former-political-prisoner-arrested-hate-crime/