archives of global protests2006 G8 Summit in St.Petersburg - Reports & Photos
harassment and repressions in Russia
Dear Friends and Comrades!
We have to resort to you with an appeal for help and international solidarity!
Russia is on the verge of the G 8 summit which is to be hosted in Saint Petersburg.
At the same time our country is experiencing another series of political violence and reprisals.
Contrary to the official G-8 summit an alternative event has been planned to be held in Saint Petersburg by the Russian Social Forum.
The activists belonging to different political and grass root organizations and groups scattered all over Russia are coming to Saint Petersburg to participate in the alternative "summit". Among them are the activists of the all Russian Society of Hostels and Dormitories Dwellers Rights, activists of the anti "monetization laws" movement, trade union activists of the Siberian Confederation of Labor and from other regions, different human right groups activists and many other individuals.
These persons are being harassed and persecuted by the local police and security services agents on their way to Saint Petersburg.
Some people are being stopped and arrested at the air ports and rail way stations without any legal pretext. Some activists have been detained illegally. One person from Siberia has disappeared.
Up to this date at least 100 people have been detained under various pretexts having no legal force. People are forcefully deprived of their documents, transportation tickets, stalked by unknown individuals and then once again arrested by police on the pretext of protecting their personal safety (!). On different occasions people have brutally been mishandled by police and secret service agents.
Here in Saint Petersburg Vladimir Soloveichik, one of the leaders of the Civil Initiatives Movement of Saint Petersburg and Leningrad region has been detained in his own apartment and now has been taken under police custody.
In Saint Petersburg some more arrests have been made: two girls were arrested last Monday on Sennaya square for handing out materials on the Russian Social Forum, two activists from Germany have been detained under a pretext of violating "their legal status of staying in a foreign country". Now they are being kept in police station N 36 of Saint Petersburg together with another Russian citizen.
A peaceful demonstration planned during the G-8 meeting in the period of July, 15-17, has been banned by the authorities.
It seems that the authorities are trying to provoke illegal actions and then blame them on committing "terrorists and illegal actions".
All this is going on at a time when the civil rights of many other individuals in other Russian regions are being violated and neglected.
We are unsure if those arrests and reprisals have been initiated by the authorities in Moscow or by the local authorities. But all this seems to be a very well coordinated and concerted action.
We are appealing to all people in the Western countries and asking them to voice their solidarity with the Russian political and social activists at this critical moment on the eve of the G- 8 summit. We suggest that you request the Russian embassies and consulates in the West European countries that they provide you for necessary information. We suggest that you picket their offices.
Please spread the word!
A traditional Russian police state Russia is making a comeback! What we see now is an authoritative state brutally repressing legal and civil rights of the Russian citizens.
Is Russia worth being a G- 8 member?
We also urge you to come to Saint Petersburg and witness everything with your own eyes.
In solidarity
Trade Union Solidarity Action Committee of Saint Petersburg and Leningrad region