More about the case of Andrei and Denis

In Thursday, 13th of September our comrades, anarchists Andrei Kalyonov and Denis Zelenin were released from remand prison of Novgorod after 29 days of arrest - just one day short of 30 day period of detention without pressing charges, allowed with anti-terrorism cases. They were suspected of bombing Nevskiy Express train 13th of August. No-one died from explosion of a claimed bomb planted to rails, but 60 people were injured. 30 day arrest period of their alleged co-conspirator, Chechen Hasan Didigov (whom they
have apparently never met before) ends 18th of September, and it is expected that he will be released as well.

No charges were pressed against our fellow anarchists, but struggle is still far from being over! as "anarchist version" of the bombing may resurface anytime, we must keep spreading information about lies of the state, and
Andrei and Denis still need our support to cover legal costs.

Andrei and Denis were arrested 16th of August on their way to Moscow. As there was 9 our break between local trains in Malaya Vyshera, they headed
towards St. Petersburg-Moscow motorway hoping to get a ride there. Officials from still unknown bureau checked them, and apparently considered them too aware of their rights and too impudent - they got nicked, and someone came up with the idea of "anarchist version" of the blast.

One may only guess who may have planted the bomb - a terror group once founded by now dead Shamil Basayev claimed responsibility, but North
Caucasian guerilla groups have not been able to hit outside their main region of activity for years, and in general they have a practice of
claiming any natural disaster and accident in Russia. Actually quite a number of articles in Russian internet have doubted, that there was any
explosion in the first place - train may well have derailed just due to over-exploitation, speeding on already worn out tracks, which has been a
general problem in Russian rail transport system for years. For sure this is just speculation, but it would not be surprising if officials would like to cover an accident due to over-exploitation of the tracks.

A press conference was organized 13th of September immediately after Andrei got to St. Petersburg - Denis was too tired to join it. Conference was
organized in premises of human rights center Memorial, which is also workplace of Andrei. Andrei told he hold a dry hunger strike during first 9 days of the arrest, during which officials did not allow him to contact any lawyers or relatives. After lawyers were allowed to visit him, he did not saw point in continuing the hunger strike. In contrary to some information which was spreading at the time, no attempts were made to force feed him.

However they suffered from a number of other violations - no clothes were given in exchange of those taken to expertise, and they had to be barefoot all the time. As it soon was evident that they had little to do with the alleged bomb, already in 4th day of the arrest questions during
interrogations were exclusively about their friends, associates, political activities and ideas.

They were subjected to heavy psychological pressure to admit that they were carrying around explosives, also an illegal search was made in house of Andrei.

Anarchists and human rights activists organized a solidarity campaign in several cities.

During arrest, weekly anti-war pickets of Saint-Petersburg became pickets to support Andrei and Denis, both of whom are regular attendants of the
anti-war pickets. 26th of August a 9 meter banner "Freedom to anarchists Andrei Kalyonov and Denis Zelenyuk" appeared in the picket, as well as a black banner with text "Witch-hunt 2007". Anarchist Black Cross group of St. Petersburg, set up for the occasion, gathered funds for legal costs and spread leaflets to passers by. After picket, a group of anarchists dropped the big banner not far from BKZ Oktyabrskiy. Local press spread rumors that OMON riot police was prepared to
put down the picket, but eventually there were no incidents. There is video footage from the picket available in youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jcJexgUO7U

Biggest support action in St. Petersburg was organized 2nd of September in Robespierre embankment, next to statue of victims of political repressions. Up to 80 people joined actions, anarchists carried black flags and banners
"Case of Nevskiy Express - beginning of a trumped up process", "Freedom to anarchists Andrei Kalyonov and Denis Zelenyuk". Liberals from
"Oborona"-movement joined action with banner "Freedom to anti-fascists Andrei Kalyonov and Denis Zelenyuk", leftists from DSPA (Pyotr Alekseyev Resistance Movement) and activists from Memorial human rights center were around as well.

During action, people in white masks were sewing cardboard with text "case" to the clothes of the participators with a white thread, shouting "this case is sewed with white threads", symbolically implicating that case was a frame-up.

Video footage from the action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2VGJnh5-xU

9th of September up to 30 people were around in anti-war picket, which was again pretty much a solidarity action for arrested anarchists. Banners
"Freedom to imprisoned anarchists" and "Witch-hunt 2007" were unrolled. There was also a small performance, a person dressed as a butcher was
threatening all the dissidents with an axe, in end of the action he was overrun by the anarchists.

10th of September around ten anarchists organized an illegal picket at the building of general prosecutor at the North-Western district of the Russian Federation at Angliyskaya embankment, banners "Freedom to imprisoned anarchists" and "Case is sewn with white threads" were unrolled and reelings of white thread were thrown at prosecutor's office. Soon everyone disappeared with no arrests made.

Video footage from the action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va551dD898M

14th of September there was a hardcore punk concert in club Belgrade, all proceedings from distro in this concert were passed to St. Petersburg Anarchist Black Cross to be used to defense of Andrei and Denis.

In Moscow, several actions of solidarity were organized as well. First one was organized by right-libertarian group "Free Radicals", offshoot of originally Italian Transnational Radical Party which is campaigning for issues such as sexual equality and legalization of Marihuana. Picket of Free Radicals, announced in Lyubyanka square, was banned and whole square was blocked. Police presence was not too heavy with some 10 officers, but they were enough to nick 6 "free radicals" who went to picket defying the ban, they were slapped with misdemeanor charges. Anarchists were around as well, but decided not to raise banners, thus they were not arrested.

Next day it was a time for an illegal anarchist solidarity action at general prosecutor's office, but due to overwhelming police presence around the
office and surrounding streets, nothing came out of it. Picketers attempted to move to statue of Zhukov next to Kremlin, but there police started to
wrangle sticks and placates and eventually picket could not get started.

3rd of September Moscow anarchists stroke back by blockading prosecutor's office with chains and locks. Action lasted 15 minutes, people were holding placate "Freedom to Andrei Kalyonov and Denis Zelenyuk" and "Anarchists do not blow up peaceful people" and banner "no to political repressions", and a black and red diagonal flag. Leaflets were distributed to people who were
passing by. Eventually police managed to break chain and 7 participators and two journalists were arrested and given misdemeanor charges.

23rd of August there was a meeting in Pushpin square of Moscow to commemorate murdered journalist Anna Politkovskaya with few hundred
participators - it was her birthday. Anarchists joined with banners and leaflets informing about situation with arrested St. Petersburg comrades.
Most of the participators were right-leaning liberals, but they donated very generously for legal costs of our comrades.

2nd of September around twenty anarchists in Kazan organized a short illegal demonstration close to main railway station, in solidarity with arrested
anarchists. They unrolled banner "Freedom to anarchists" and distributed leaflets. Demonstration dispersed after 10 minutes, no-one was arrested.

6th of September there was a solidarity action at Russian embassy in Kiev. Around 40 people from anarchist collectives "Against borders", "Makhnovist club", "Kiev anarchist initiative" and "Association of Anarchist Movements", leftist groups "New Left", "Vanguard" and "Left initiative", network of citizen's initiatives "Basta", human rights organization "European wave", young anti-fascists and a human rights activist from Uzbekistan
participated. There were banners "No to political repressions!", "Stop provocation of FSB!", "Free anarchists Andrei Kalyonov and Denis Zelenyuk!",
"Freedom to Hasan Digidov!", "No to police fascism!", "Russian authorities should pay for their terror!", there were also anti-fascist banners, anarchist flags and flag of "Left initiative". Participators scanned "State
is the main terrorist!", "Freedom to political prisoners!", "Raise the black flag higher, state is the main enemy!", "ACAB". Anarchist comrade who was forced to emigrate from St. Petersburg to Ukraine in march of this year made a speech. There were no special incidents, except that car colon of
Ukrainian Communist Party, which is loyal to Kremlin, was passing by twice, making hostile declarations against the demonstrators.

Igor
(from http://avtonom.org/index.php?nid=1202)