We support today’s political prisoners

A declaration by political prisoners of the Soviet period

8 February 2021

As political prisoners of the Soviet period, who experienced the prisons, camps, detention centres, torture by hunger and cold, and other similar methods of Soviet “re-education”, we have been indignant to learn of the unlawful detention, beatings and conditions of torture in preliminary detention of those who took part in the peaceful demonstrations of recent days.

Such cruelty and violence towards people who wanted to give peaceful expression to their civic position or, in some cases, simply found themselves on the street at the same time, is evidence of the increasing confirmation in today’s Russia of past totalitarian practices. We are outraged by this return to the worst times of State Terror in our country.

We hereby declare our solidarity with today’s political prisoners and voice our sympathy and support for them. As citizens of the Russian Federation we demand that the leaders of our country halt the violence against those taking part in peaceful protests and release, without delay, all who have been detained and unjustly convicted.