On February 10, 7 young activists who have been detained in Putin's prisons for more than 2 years were sentenced to 18 years in prison, accused of forming a terrorist organization to overthrow the government. The young people reported psychological torture such as threats of rape, and physical torture such as electric shocks and beatings, false witnesses or testimonies obtained under torture and false evidence of planted weapons. All of this demonstrated a frame by the Russian police and the regime.
Putin's regime of terror has been hardening and deepening the persecution of all activists, especially the working class and the anarchist and anti-fascist youth. Activists, relatives and human rights organizations have denounced a campaign of repression and a wave of arrests by the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russian state security apparatus, a scion of the KGB.
In Putin's Russia, where it is illegal and punishable by heavy fines and imprisonment to participate in a mobilization or even a protest by one man alone, the 7 activists of Penza were convicted of "organization of a terrorist group (art. 205.4, part 1, of the Criminal Code), participation in a terrorist group (art. 205.4, part 2, of the Criminal Code), illegal possession of firearms (art. 222, part 1, of the Criminal Code), illegal storage of explosives (art. 222, part 1).1 of the Penal Code), attempted arson or explosion by hooligans (Section 167, Part 2 of the Penal Code using Section 30, Part 3), attempted large-scale production or sale of drugs (Section 228.1, Part 4, paragraph "d" of the Penal Code - Section 30, Part 3 of the Penal Code).
The seven condemned young men are:
Ilya Shakursky (23 years old) was arrested on October 19, 2017 in Penza. He studied Physics at Penza State University until he was expelled after his arrest. He was sentenced to 16 years in a maximum security colony and a fine of 50 thousand rubles.
Vasily Kuksov (31) has an engineer degree from the Agricultural University and was arrested on October 19, 2017. He was sentenced to nine years in a general regime colony.
Dmitry Pchelintsev (27) did his military service at the Penza Artillery Engineering Institute and for his training there he worked as a shooting instructor. He was arrested on October 27, 2017 and sentenced to 18 years in a strict regime colony.
Andrey Chernov (30) studied at the Penza Pedagogical Institute at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. He was arrested on 9 November 2017 and was missing for two days before his arrest became official. He was sentenced to 14 years in a strict regime colony.
Mikhail Kulkov (25) is a university student and was first arrested on 30 March 2017, along with Maxim Ivankin and Alexei Poltavets. They regained their freedom, but on July 4th the young men were again arrested. He was sentenced to 10 years in a strict regime colony.
Maxim Ivankin (25 years old) worked as a cook in a restaurant, on a construction site, etc. He was first arrested on 30 March 2017, together with Mikhail Kulkov and Alexei Poltavets. They regained their freedom, but on the 4th of July the young men were again arrested. He was sentenced to 13 years in a strict regime colony.
Arman Sagynbayev (27) studied at a music school, plays accordion and piano. He was arrested on 5 November 2017 in St. Petersburg, after which he was taken to Penza. He was sentenced to six years in a colony of the general regime.
On November 11, 2019, Sagynbaev began a hunger strike together with Dmitry Pchelintsev and Maxim Ivankin, but on November 27 he had to stop it.
From the International Network we call on all workers' organizations, human rights bodies and workers' parties to fight for the immediate release of the comrades who have been victims of a police and judicial frame-up against them.
International solidarity is fundamental. In addition to the "network case", in St. Petersburg, two more people, Viktor Filinkov and Julian Boyarshinov are awaiting trial on related charges. The next court hearings are scheduled for 25 and 28 February.
We therefore join the call of the Rupression group to carry out solidarity actions from 22 to 29 February.
Free the prisoners of the "Network case" and all political prisoners in Russia!
Stop the persecution and repression of the fighters!
Free all political prisoners in the world! An injure to one is an injure to all!
The rebellion of the slaves is not a crime, it is justice!
International Network for the Freedom of All Political Prisoners
and Justice for our Martyrs
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