Freedom News

Russia: Teenager gets five years for flyers and Minecraft chat

On February 10th a military court sentenced three 16-year-old activists from Kansk in the Krasnoyarsk Krai, southern Russia. Nikita Uvarov, who was named as leader of the group during the investigation, was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 30,000 rubles (about £287). Two other defendants (Denis Mikhailenko and Bohdan Andreyev) were acquitted because, according to

Russia: two anarchists sentenced to prison for a banner drop

On 10th September, the Central District Court of Chelyabinsk, Russia, announced the verdict in the case of two anarchists, Anastasia Safonova and Dmitry Tsibukovsky, accused of a banner drop. The two were found guilty under the article on hooliganism (part 2 of article 213 of the Criminal Code). Safonova was sentenced to two, Tsibukovsky –

Russia: two anarchists facing six years in prison for a banner drop

Two young anarchists, Dmitry Tsibukovsky and Anastasia Safonova, are facing six years in prison for (allegedely) hanging a banner in solidarity with the defendants in the “Network” case.   According to the Russian authorities and noone else, The “Network” was a terrorist anarchist organization active in Russia between 2015 and 2017. Its alleged members were

Russia: antifascist prisoner Viktor Filinkov moved to basement cell for “sitting on his bed”

Viktor Filinkov, an antifascist political prisoner serving 7-year sentence has been moved to a basement cell, apparently as a punishment for sitting on his bed during day time. Filinkov was one of the defentants in “The Network” case. According to the Russian state authorities, “the Network” was  an “anarchist terrorist community” set up in May

London demo callout: solidarity with jailed Russian anti-fascists

A new group intending to provide solidarity with persecuted Russian antifascists and anarchists was formed in London last week. They are organising their first event this Thursday at 6.30pm at the Russian Ambassy in London. Here is the demo callout. This month seven Russian anti-fascists were jailed with lengthy sentences ranging from six to eighteen

Russia: thousands sign open letter in solidarity with imprisoned anarchists

On February 10th, seven Russian anarchists accused of participation in “the Network” group were sentenced for terrorist offences to a total of 86 years imprisonment. Freedom News covered the details of the case and the accusations here. The sentences were harsh. Dmitry Pchelintsev received 18 years, Ilya Shakursky 16 years, Arman Sagynbaev 6 years, Andrei

Torture and one person missing: new wave of repressions against Russian anarchists

At early hours of Friday 1st February, Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) raided several flats in Moscow, arresting 10 people under “conspiracy charges”. All but one were released following “all day interrogations and physical tortures”. The person remanded in custody is a Moscow State University student Azat Miftahov who is accused of being a member