Call for solidarity with Ukrainian left under repression
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, representatives of the far-right and liberal milieu have been spreading calls for violence and even for the killing of those who had previously publicly advocated the implementation of the Minsk agreements, against "decommunisation" and for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Donbas. Activists of left-wing groups were the first to be threatened.
Lists of unreliables have emerged. Some "left-wing activists" also started compiling lists of "wrong leftists".
On 3 March, SBU officers, with the participation of neo-Nazis from the Azov group, detained leftist activist Oleksandr Matyushenko from the Levitsa association in Dnipropetrovsk.
He was charged under Article 437 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code - "waging aggressive war". And, as the courts in Ukraine do not work now, he was arrested for 30 days without trial - on the prosecutor's order.
The details of the criminal case are not known because the SBU refuses to introduce it to anyone but his lawyer. But most lawyers refuse to defend him or demand 3,000 dollars for their services, a rather large sum for Ukrainians.
On the same day, 12 people were detained in Dnipro on similar charges. On March 4, 14 people were detained. On 5 March, 11 people were detained.
In Kyiv, arrests had begun even earlier. On 27 February, brothers Mikhail and Aleksandr Kononovich, leaders of the Ukrainian Komsomol, ethnic Belarusians, were detained.
It is not known where they are and what they are accused of, as there is no contact with them.
On 7 March, journalist Dmitriy Dzhangirov, a member of the New Socialism party, Vasyl Volha, a former leader of the Union of Left Forces, journalist Yury Dudkin and publicist Aleksandr Karevin, who managed to write on his Facebook page: "The SBU has come", were detained in Kiev.
Where all of them are now and what they are accused of is also unknown. Dzhangirov's Facebook page posted a video of him, possibly under physical duress, saying things that are not typical of him.
On 11 March, left-wing activist Spartak Golovachev disappeared in Kharkiv. "The door is being broken down by armed men in Ukrainian uniforms. Goodbye," he managed to write on social media.
It should be noted that there is fighting for Kharkiv, but in general it is under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces.
On March 11, in Odessa, the SBU detained Elena Vyacheslavova, the daughter of Mikhail Vyacheslavov, who died on May 2, 2014 in the fire of the Odessa House of Trade Unions.
The whereabouts of several members of the left-wing New Socialism and Derzhava parties are also unknown. They have stopped making contact or writing anything on social media. They may be in hiding, but they may also have been detained.
All indications are that as the fighting continues, the repression of dissenters and leftists will continue.
Our capacity to defend the rights of the politically repressed in Ukraine is now very limited.
And solidarity with Ukrainian political prisoners of the left and human rights defenders in all countries is very important to us.
As well as financial assistance to pay for lawyers.
This help is best sent to the card of Oleksandr Matyushenko's wife, Mariia Mezhova:
Paycard numbers:
EUR: 5375 4199 0590 5608
USD: 5375 4188 0881 2895
Cardholder name: Mariia Mezhova
One can use one of the many transfer-to-card services, for example, https://www.transfergo.com/en-de
Bitcoin: 3CaxECBZfKcrKnnf6T9K58wHJ3FWCp4Bhp
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, representatives of the far-right and liberal milieu have been spreading calls for violence and even for the killing of those who had previously publicly advocated the implementation of the Minsk agreements, against "decommunisation" and for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Donbas. Activists of left-wing groups were the first to be threatened.
Lists of unreliables have emerged. Some "left-wing activists" also started compiling lists of "wrong leftists".
On 3 March, SBU officers, with the participation of neo-Nazis from the Azov group, detained leftist activist Oleksandr Matyushenko from the Levitsa association in Dnipropetrovsk.
He was charged under Article 437 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code - "waging aggressive war". And, as the courts in Ukraine do not work now, he was arrested for 30 days without trial - on the prosecutor's order.
The details of the criminal case are not known because the SBU refuses to introduce it to anyone but his lawyer. But most lawyers refuse to defend him or demand 3,000 dollars for their services, a rather large sum for Ukrainians.
On the same day, 12 people were detained in Dnipro on similar charges. On March 4, 14 people were detained. On 5 March, 11 people were detained.
In Kyiv, arrests had begun even earlier. On 27 February, brothers Mikhail and Aleksandr Kononovich, leaders of the Ukrainian Komsomol, ethnic Belarusians, were detained.
It is not known where they are and what they are accused of, as there is no contact with them.
On 7 March, journalist Dmitriy Dzhangirov, a member of the New Socialism party, Vasyl Volha, a former leader of the Union of Left Forces, journalist Yury Dudkin and publicist Aleksandr Karevin, who managed to write on his Facebook page: "The SBU has come", were detained in Kiev.
Where all of them are now and what they are accused of is also unknown. Dzhangirov's Facebook page posted a video of him, possibly under physical duress, saying things that are not typical of him.
On 11 March, left-wing activist Spartak Golovachev disappeared in Kharkiv. "The door is being broken down by armed men in Ukrainian uniforms. Goodbye," he managed to write on social media.
It should be noted that there is fighting for Kharkiv, but in general it is under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces.
On March 11, in Odessa, the SBU detained Elena Vyacheslavova, the daughter of Mikhail Vyacheslavov, who died on May 2, 2014 in the fire of the Odessa House of Trade Unions.
The whereabouts of several members of the left-wing New Socialism and Derzhava parties are also unknown. They have stopped making contact or writing anything on social media. They may be in hiding, but they may also have been detained.
All indications are that as the fighting continues, the repression of dissenters and leftists will continue.
Our capacity to defend the rights of the politically repressed in Ukraine is now very limited.
And solidarity with Ukrainian political prisoners of the left and human rights defenders in all countries is very important to us.
As well as financial assistance to pay for lawyers.
This help is best sent to the card of Oleksandr Matyushenko's wife, Mariia Mezhova:
Paycard numbers:
EUR: 5375 4199 0590 5608
USD: 5375 4188 0881 2895
Cardholder name: Mariia Mezhova
One can use one of the many transfer-to-card services, for example, https://www.transfergo.com/en-de
Bitcoin: 3CaxECBZfKcrKnnf6T9K58wHJ3FWCp4Bhp