Moscow Antifa: Aleksey “Sokrat” Sutuga locked up again

via Moscow Mutiny

If there ever was a modern-day vigilante hero, so to speak, this is him. An acknowledged Antifa leader, Aleksey had been continuously hassled by the joint efforts of all varieties of Russian popo, until the “anti-extremist” squad finally managed to pin him down (under similar circumstances as depicted below) on fabricated charges in 2012.

Along with several other prominent antifascists, Aleksey had spent almost 2 years in jail awaiting a “trial” that never came. He was finally released under Putin’s bullshit amnesty only 3 months ago. Pigs however, being pigs, are obviously unable to let go of an old grudge and are now back at him in full-force (when they’re not too busy toppling neighboring states, shooting protesters from machine guns and starting WWIII.)

The full article from http://www.avtonom.org

Today, on April 8th, 2014, a Judge of the Moscow Zamoskvorechye Court has again confined Aleksey “Sokrat” Sutuga – one of Moscow’s most prominent antifascists, to jail. He is being charged with disorderly conduct by a group of persons – a criminal offense under Part 2 of Article 213 of the Russian Constitution. Sutuga’s lawyer had pleaded with the judge for a measure of restraint that did not involve detention. Several of Aleksey’s friends had been willing to provide him with living quarters in the case of a house-arrest verdict.

Sutuga was arrested on the evening of April 5th, on his way from an antifascist concert in Moscow’s Izmailovo district . The protocol of his arrest states “hooliganism” as a premise for his detention – Sutuga was allegedly cursing loudly in public. (Although according to some accounts Aleksey had been detained by members of the infamous “anti-extrimist” squad along with riot police.)

On April 6th, however, Aleksey was already taken to Moscow’s Criminal Police Headquarters, where he was told that he is a suspected culprit in a fight that had occurred on January 2nd .

According to Aleksey, that evening he was returning from a friend’s house with another acquaintance, when he had stumbled upon an ongoing fight between a group of 6 vs. a group of 3 unknown young men. According to Sutuga , the group of 6 men was of far-right persuasion, one of them had non-lethal handgun (traumatic weapons are legal and widespread in Russia.) The six nazis are now depicted as Sutuga’s “victims”.

Sutuga says that he had intervened in the fight, intending to stop it and subdue the opponents. His testimony is confirmed by his friend, who had witnessed the incident with him. The victims later identified Sutuga through online photographs, and, according to investigators, his “overly expressive appearance .”

Aleksey’s lawyer drew attention to the fact that one of the victims had already taken part in a face-to-face recognition procedure with Aleksey, and had not declared that he was attacked by Aleksey in his subsequent testimony, as it is stated in the police protocol. In addition, at the beginning of the court session, the statutory 48 hours pre-trial detention period had long expired.

Nevertheless , the judge recognized the prosecutors’ notion that Aleksey could allegedly flee if not detained in jail, and proceeded to enter him government custody until May 6th, 2014.

As a reminder, not so long ago, Sutuga had already been detained for over a year as a suspect in a fight with nationalists in the “Vozdukh” night club. On January 10th, 2014 his case had been dismissed due to a general amnesty.

Repost please, if you care.

Moscow anti-fascists amnestied (Russia)

From 325.nostate

“On Friday 10th of January Basmanniy district court of Moscow ceased criminal case against Alexey Olesinov, Alexey Sutuga, Alyon Volikov and Babken Guskasyan.

All four were accused of “hooliganism”, a criminal offense which is included in the amnesty bill, approved as a PR stunt on initiative of Vladimir Putin himself in advent of the Sochi Winter Olympics – most known amnestied political prisoners being 30 detainees of the Arctic Sunrise ship of Greenpeace, and two imprisoned members of Pussy Riot. Four anti-fascists had also other, less severe charges which fall under statutes of limitations.

Alexey Olesinov

Olesinov and Sutuga were released under traveling restrictions last summer, after more than a year in a custody. They, and Volikov who was only released last Friday were accused for having clashed with the far-right security of “Vozdukh”-club in Moscow in December of 2011 during a concert.

Guards claimed that guests of the concert had vandalized club property, they expelled audience and took some of the organizers as hostages, where waiting for their associates “to arrive in order to collect compensation for damages”. Organizers attempted to leave the venue, and guards opened fire with rubber bullets. In the resulting clash, guests of the concert prevailed.

Alexey Sutuga

Russian political police force “Center of counteraction against extremism”, exploited this case in order to have two known anti-fascists, Sutuga and Olesinov detained. Originally they were also accused of another case, where a 16-year fascist was beaten up having made a Nazi salute, but eventually only Volikov and Gukasyan were charged for this incident.

Young Nazi gave testimony against Olesinov and Sutuga, although both had an unquestionable Alibi. This is not the only case, in which a Nazi victim has given false testimony against known anti-fascists when it is unclear who has committed actions. Volikov and Gukasyan were also amnestied for these charges.

Goals of the process which has now finished were much wider than investigation two fights. For example Alina Kosolovskaya, who was interrogated as a witness of the case, was mostly asked questions about known anti-fascist Alexey Gaskarov, who was arrested last April for completely unrelated case of inauguration riot of Vladimir Putin 6th of May 2012.

Of those accused of the inauguration riots, only 4 were released under the amnesty bill, whereas 13 are still in custody (Gaskarov amongst them), two in home arrest, five under travelling restrictions and two have been sentenced. Two members of the “Left front” party are facing the most serious charges of “organising a riot”, although video footage and plenty of witnesses have provided testimony that clash had been prepared by the police.

Another Moscow anti-fascist Irina Lipskaya was also amnestied 27th of December. She was accused of two assaults against far-right concerts in years 2011 and 2012. In the same week three anti-fascists from Nizhni Novgorod were amnestied, criminal process against them proceeded for almost three years.

However, two activists from Nizhni Novgorod were forced to flee the city and hide from officials, and thus they still face charges and are not amnestied. Also, anti-fascist Igor Hartchenko, who was given a three and half years prison sentence in August in Moscow for having defended a concert against far-right attack in July of 2011 remains in prison.

Of course, not only anti-authoritarians are being amnestied. There are no overall statistics on how many people are being amnestied, estimates vary from thousands to tens of thousands. Many political prisoners of the far right have been amnestied as well.

For example 16 Nazis who attacked anti-nuclear protest camp in Angarsk in summer 2007 and beat anarchist Ilya Borodaenko till death were also charged with “hooliganism”, and thus they are now amnestied. Russian officials tend to define far-right political violence as “hooliganism”, which is why even serious crimes of Nazis are often sentenced with hooliganism charges.

But besides all faults, amnesty bill is a proof that the current Russian regime is not immune to a political protest. Due to terrorist threat, Sotchi Olympics will take place in atmosphere of military occupation and economically they are a disaster. But Olympic games and other such international projects are also a reason why Russian government is still worried for its public image, and reacts to political pressure.”

Message from recently released Antifascist Ravi Gill

“I just hope this can even show 1% for the love I feel for those who supportted me, I’ll never forget you and love you always. NO PASARAN!

As reported, yes I was releasd on Friday. I just wanted to take this opportunity to try and thank everyone who supportted me while I was inside. If ever I had any doubts on whether prisoner support had any effect I can say in total honesty that they’ve been quelled.

Throughout my sentence I was able to stay positive, strong and focused which I believe was down to the post and contact I got.

Honestly it was the wierdest thing but just the post was like a daily kick in the arse to remind me Im not alone. So please accept my heartfelt thanks for all the support, letters. cards, mags, money, leaflets, etc etc. If anything positive came out of the this experience (Apart from your support), I have seen with my own eyes the fallacy of a fair British (or worldwide) justice system. The whole thing is run by bullies with their own agendas, committing crimes in the name society.

Im now just getting back into normal life but wont forget our brothers and sister still incarcerated, even they wrote to me and Im proud to say Ive made a lot of new friends bothg inside and outside of the prison system.

Please if you’ve everv thought about writing to a prisoner, take it from me the letters make such a difference, for me it was the difference between getting depressed or making a stand against prison policies that were clearly wrong and sometimes illegal! Throughout my sentence though alone I felt I was on my own, it was the words of the kind people that wrote to me that kept me going, as Im sure governers Rielly and I’anson will confirm (sorry lads but ya never beat me!).

Letters make all the difference in keeping the mind strong, so please just send that letter. There are many comrades still inside worldwide so the battle goes on, of course my freedom is a source of joy but I hope you’ll excuse me if I dont celebrate to much as many people I now know, love and respect are still hostages of a corrupt system.

Thank you all Ill love you always. By the way I have a list of all who promised me a pint so will be collecting, its better you come to me HA! HA!

Till all are free, Till the walls fall in a pile of dust.
We’ll drip like water and make the locks rust.
Draw your weapons and beat us senseless,
yet still we smile for our battle is relentless.
We fight for for what is right, you fight for a wage.
Thats why we stand proud, feel our rage.
For each you kill 10 more grow like a tree
because none are free till all are free”

Ravi Gill

Taken from Indymedia UK

Ravi Gill Released

From Leeds Anarchist Black Cross

Ravi Gill was released from HMP Wayland this morning after completing half of a 21 month sentence imposed last year following the first Welling antifascist trial. He thanks everyone for the support he received while inside.

Ravi was one of seven antifascists fitted-up on conspiracy charges after a German neo-Nazi was floored at Welling train station.

A further sixteen antifascists were acquitted.

Six comrades went to jail in the case, with one subsequently being deported. Ravi Gill is the last prisoner to be released.

Solidarity with Alexey Sutuga!

 From http://inter.antifa.ru

Alexey Sutuga, anarchist, anti-fascist and member of Autonomous Action, was arrested on Tuesday evening, April 17, in Moscow. The arrest took place during a fundraising effort in support of anti-fascist prisoners.

It was learned almost after a day after the arrest that Alexey is now in Remand Prison No. 2, also known as Butyrka Prison.

The police accuse him of the same crime as anti-fascist *Alexey Olesinov, who has already been in custody for a month — complicity in the incident at the Moscow club Vozdukh, on December 17, 2011, when neo-Nazis working security attacked concert goers and then blamed anti-fascists for this assault.

Voluntary donations for the support of anti-fascists in detention, particularly Alexey Olesinov and Igor Kharchenko, were collected in downtown Moscow on April 17. The event was organized by activists of the anti-racist human rights initiative Direct Help. About fifteen people, including Alexey Sutuga, showed up for the event. Two police officers approached the group at 8:30 p.m., according to witnesses. They identified themselves and asked why there were so much garbage around the bench where everyone was gathered.

The police then asked everyone present to show their documents. When people refused to show them, two plain clothes officers appeared instantly out of nowhere, followed shortly by five or six of their colleagues.

One of them presented his ID, muttered something to the effect of “Criminal Investigation Department, guys,” and said, “Get him!” Police officers obeyed him, grabbing Alexey and leading him off towards the highway.

The plain clothes officers immediately followed them, no longer paying any attention to the rest of the crowd, although they had promised to arrest all those who had no documents and take them to a police station. Among those who arrested Alexey was the well-known Moscow FSB agent Yevgeny Platov, better known as “Zhenya the FSB Guy.” (You can read more about him and his persecution of Moscow anarchists here, in Russian: http://avtonom.org/news/feisy-vs-anarkhisty-kak-boitsy-nevidimogo-foront…)

It’s worth noting that a group of anarchists, including Alexey, had been detained a week earlier by the same plain clothes officers, but were released without charges.

Sutuga’s family and friends did not know of his whereabouts for almost twenty-four hours: he didn’t answer his phone. Information about his whereabouts was only released on the evening of April 18. It was reported that he is in Butyrka Prison and, apparently, Basmanny District Court quickly sanctioned his pretrial detention.

He has been charged with “hooliganism” (Article 213, Part 2 of the Russian Federation Criminal Code). The press service of the Moscow police reported that Alexey Sutuga has been charged in connection with the same case as Alexey Olesinov.

Recently, it became known that police are attempting to fabricate a second criminal case against Olesinov. On April 17, police confronted him with a young man who claims to have been attacked by Alexey on December 4, 2011, although on this day Olesinov was posting articles on the Internet. (For more details, in Russian, see: http://ru.indymedia.org/newswire/display/26512/index.php.)

As a member of Autonomous Action has explained, “The case against the well-known anti-fascist Alexey Olesinov, now remanded, has been investigated for several months and is now collapsing. It seems that the human rights campaign in support of Olesinov has begun to irritate the police. If they had something on Sutuga, they would have followed the legal procedures for this case. And it turns out that they have just arrested a person and held him incommunicado for almost a whole day. It looks as if the police have wild imaginations.”

For more information about the incident at the Vozdukh club, see:

https://avtonom.org/en/people/aleksei-olesinov

For information about persecution of other anarchists and anti-fascists in Moscow, see:

https://avtonom.org/en/people/antti-rautiainen

http://anarcho-news.info/news-534 (in Russian)

Funds are urgently needed to defray Sutuga’s legal expenses. You may donate through Anarchist Black Cross of Moscow. Instructions are available here:

http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Donate

_____

Editor’s note. This appeal was originally published, in English, on the Autonomous Action web site. It has been slightly edited to make it more readable.

——–

Updates

*Moscow anti-fascist may become permanently disabled in pre-trial detention

*Police places pressure on relatives and friends of jailed Russian antifascists. Your support is needed

Support Needed For Antifascist Prisoner

From Leeds Anarchist Black Cross

Ravinder Gill is one of the six UK antifascists imprisoned last year after being fitted-up for ‘conspiracy to cause violent disorder’.

While the other five comrades have all been released, either subject to curfew on electronic tag, or in the case of Thomas Blak to deportation, Ravi Gill remains in prison.

Ravi is an avid reader, but books sent to him by Haven Distribution, a supplier approved by the Prison Service, are being withheld from him by the Governor of Wayland, Kevin Reilly.

Ravi’s complaints about this abuse of power and violation of the Human Rights Act are simply being ignored by this jumped up ‘Little Hitler’.

We therefore ask you to send cards, letters, faxes to Mr Reilly asking him to explain himself. You can also phone him. Please take a few minutes to show Ravi Gill that he is not alone.

Kevin Reilly
HMP Wayland
Griston
Thetford
Norfolk
IP25 6RL

Tel – 01953 804100
Fax – 01953 804220

Letters of support to Ravi at:

Ravinder Gill
A5770CE
HMP Wayland
Griston
Thetford
Norfolk
IP25 6RL