Anarchist Toby Shone Free In The Forest!

12/11/24

Toby Shone walked free from HMP Garth on Monday 11th November after serving his entire sentence. He was released at 830am and picked up by friends and comrades. He has no licence conditions or restrictions.

The State made a few last desperate attempts to exercise their spite and misery at losing Toby, including removing another close comrade from his phone list four days before his release, but it was to no avail.

Nothing is over, everything continues.

Fallout From Publication Of "Unsurprising Fact"

22/10/24

As the result of Toby Shone having giving the text "Unsurprising Fact" to Brighton ABC, he had a visit from Counter-Terror Prevent duo Ian Turner and Mick McCormack on the morning of October 21st. He was issued 3 administrative sanctions and is now on Basic IEP regime, which means no television and only £5 a week to spend. The sanctions were for: writing an open letter to Joe Black at Brighton ABC on October 13th. ["Unsurprising Fact" was dictacted over the phone]; repeated phone calls to a friend during which she put him on speaker phone so that he could also talk to others in the room; and for speaking disrespectfully about staff including his Probation Offender Manager person Clare Ashton in a conversation with another contact in September. The first two people have been removed from his phone list.

NB: Toby is due to be relased on November 13th, 2024, having served his full sentence. This is just the latest (and hopefully the last) vidictive move by HMP Garth's "anti-terror bureaucrats" attempt to punish him during his final days at "His Majesty's pleasure.

"Unsurprising Fact" – Letter By Anarchist Prisoner Toby Shone

17/10/24

Some things don't surprise us and for sure the recourse to judicial options I find distasteful but expedient. Anarchism is either illegal or it is not anarchism as our dear comrade Gustavo Rodriguez reminds us. Nevertheless, over the past few months my lawyers were able to obtain a Security Intelligence Report (SIR) produced by the prison's anti-terror bureaucrats. This disclosure occurred in the course of a parole motion, which was denied in any event. The Secretary of State opposed my release and used a non-disclosure application to prevent me from seeing or being able to respond to "evidence" used against me on grounds of "national security". The Parole Board disagreed and granted me access to a scant eight pages of intelligence reports. These cover the time period September 2023 - January 2024 and show an incomplete snapshot of the surveillance and censorship of my correspondence and books, the gathering of information on those that I am in contact with and the intel received about the fireworks solidarity demo at Bristol prison last year when I was detained there. The report revealed the collection of all the names, addresses and personal details of all those who communicate with me. For example, it is noted that one comrade writes that he works as a postman, another comrade "has a daughter in prison", etc. Also listed in the entries are any personal connections and any details related to affiliations to any groups or tendencies. Geographic analysis using Google Maps has been made to view their locations. The Star and Shadow Cinema in Newcastle upon Tyne is designated a "potential meeting point" and BASE in Bristol described as "a heavily graffitied possible squat or commune.

Thus the level of intelligence and analysis displayed is low and crude but we can anticipate that the data is funnelled to the security services and the police state.

The security regime that I am imposed with is directed from outside the prison by a panel* comprising of senior police, Counter Terror Unit, National Security Division, governmental administration and forensic psychology.

We know that the state is afraid and takes step of repression; however it is rare that we see the evidence and its workings, therefore I am giving this account as my response.

I have nothing to justify.

In this situation I already knew perfectly well before disclosure what the secret "evidence" consisted off – the fact that I maintain my perspective and contacts with the anarchist dependency and with the social movement. The stand that I continue to write "and try to receive" letters and I am sent books and publications with critical content.

I will not apologise one sentence for those things.

I send my greetings to Alfredo, Anna, Juan and all the prisoners and those persecuted in Italy.

To Francisco, Monica and all the imprisoned comrades in Chile.

To the comrades imprisonned and those in struggle in Greece.

To Daniela Klette in Germany, strength.

Likewise to all the comrades detained in every territory and to the groups of action, I send a hug and my complicity.

A warm hug to Claudio who is now free.

To the application of practical theory.

For a black international.

Toby Shone
13th October 2024
HMP Garth
North-West

* MAPPA – Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangement

Update On Toby Shone's Situation

27/06/24

Yesterday (19/06/24) Toby was issued with an administrative sanction as a direct result of his “bad attitude” and conveying open letters and audio interventions outside of the prison. This comes after several anarchist comrades were removed from his permitted contact list with the reason being a “threat to national security”. This sanction will reduce the number of visits he can receive as well as reducing the amount of money he can spend on phone calls and groceries. Toby was able to receive a few letters and postcards recently, but he is still facing an enhanced censorship on his correspondence and post. Toby wishes to express that he is well and sends an embrace of fire to all the other imprisoned comrades and to the action groups.

Prisoner Support Now A Threat To National Security

28/05/24

Brighton ABC has now become the third victim of a banning of all contact with Toby Shone on the supposed grounds of "National Security" [sic]. This is just another facet of the on-going campaign to isolate Toby, cutting off his contacts with his support network and the wider outside world. People have been arbitrarily removed from his PIN phone list, had their mail censored or simply withheld as part of the vindictive campaign against Toby on the part of the security services in retaliation for their inability to secure a conviction on the trumped-up terrorism charges that were hastily dropped by the prosecution days before he was due to stand trial on October 6, 2021.

He continues to be persecuted as a direct result of the political views that he holds and at his upcoming parole hearing the State will make a further attempts to restrict his political activities post-release by having highly prohibitive license conditions imposed on him, this despite his having not been convicted on any of the political charges that he was originally charged with.

Write to Toby at:
Toby Shone A7645EP
HMP Garth
Ulnes Walton
Leyland
Preston
PR26 8NE
UK.

It is advisable to send any mail via recorded delivery so that you can have a record that it was received by Garth in case it somehow gets mysterious "lost".

If you have sent him mail previously and had no response - Toby always replies to any mail he receives - it is likely that it too has been withheld from him. If so, please get in touch with with his legal team by emailing your evidence to: [email protected].

A Call For Solidarity From Toby Shone And His Support Network

14/05/24

Hello comrades! If you ever wrote a letter or email to him and didn't get a reply, please get in touch with his solicitor saying what you sent and when you sent it approximately. He always replies so if you didn't get anything back, they either blocked your letter or blocked his reply. If there's any tracking number send it too. Any screenshots of emails that didn't go through. Every piece of information is useful. He needs it really as soon as possible. Send by the start of next week, at the very last on Wednesday. It's very important to do it on time. All his correspondence has been under surveillance from the counter terrorist unit. They prevented him from talking about this censorship too. Every time he talked about the state suppressing his communication the letters or emails never reached their destination. This measures have been approved by the head of security of the prison and the counter terrorist unit. They're not following the appropriate procedures to inform people about why their correspondence hasn't gone through. He's proud of being a threat to the national security because it shows how strong we are. How meaningful are letters and words and solidarity. And that what we write is powerful.

The state is the terrorist!
Spread the word.
Share between friends.
It can be public in solidarity platforms.

Email your evidence to: [email protected]

Another Attack On Toby Shone And His Support Network

11/05/24

The state through the agency of HMP Garth and it's security department continues its attack on Toby Shone and his friends and family by yet again removing one of his contacts from his phone PIN list [prison approved phone number list], this time without any notification to either Toby or the person whose number was summarily axed from the his PIN list – in this case his contact with Brighton ABC. This is yet another instance of the prison and security services attempts to isolate Toby from his support networks and to punish him for his continued political activities.

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) seem to think that Toby's anarchist beliefs are part of some psychopathology that he is suffering from and, despite the fact that he was convicted for possession of psychedelics and not for any of his political activities (all the "terrorism" charges against him were dropped at the last minute before his scheduled appearance in court due to lack of evidence), NOMS continue to claim that his outside political contacts are somehow interfering with his "rehabilitation". Hence the interference with his mail (ranging from wholesale expropriation of letters to the censorship of his emails), the withholding of publications sent into him (the majority of which simply "disappear" – the prison claiming that they were never received despite some being sent by Recorded Delivery) and the censorship of his contacts with the outside world.

Toby is conscientious in his responses to mail sent into him and acknowledges the receipt of publications generously sent in to him, so if you have sent mail or any other items into Toby at either HMP Bristol, Parc and Garth and have not had a response, could you please contact us at [email protected] as his legal team at Birnberg Pierce Solicitors are currently putting together a legal challenge to the ongoing withholding of his mail, publications and contacts with friends, family and support network.

The Final Straw Radio Podcast Interview With Imprisoned Anarchist Toby Shone

04/03/24

US web-based The Final Straw Radio Podcast has a new interview with imprisoned anarchist Toby Shone in which he gives a background to Operation Adream, his arrest and trial and his recent recall to prisons plus the involvement of the security services in his case and the ongoing harrassment that he has suffered in HMP Garth.

https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2024/03/03/...

Ruslan Siddiqui Charged With Railway Sabotage & Military Airfield Attack

17/12/23

At the end of November, the anarchist Ruslan Siddiqui was arrested on suspicion of organising the derailment of a goods train in Ryazan province. On 2 December, the Dorogomilovsky district court in Moscow sent Ruslan to pre-trial detention.

Acts of railway sabotage are now quite common in Russia. Partisans use these to block the delivery of military supplies to the armed forces operating on Ukrainian territory.

The derailment occurred on 11 November, 190 kilometres out from the Moscow terminal. Kommersant newspaper reported the details as follows: "Due to the detonation of improvised explosive devices (two bombs, each equivalent to 3kg of TNT, were placed 10 metres from each other on a bypass used by goods trains), a 300 metre stretch of track was damaged. A crater opened up, and the first 19 carriages of goods train no. 2018 fell into a ditch. The explosion broke the window of the train driver’s cabin, and the driver sustained non-serious injuries".

The security services have also stated that Ruslan Siddiqui was involved in an attack on the military airport in Ryazan on 20 July. Four quadrocopters, loaded with explosives, were flown on to the Dyagilevo base.

Ruslan has now been charged with a “terrorist act” (Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, parts 2.a and 2.v) and “possession of explosive material” (Article 222.1, part 3.a). He is threatened with between 12 and 30 years’ imprisonment.

Ruslan’s comrades have contacted the anti-war human rights initiative "Solidarity Zone". This is how they described him:
"As one mutual comrade said, ‘Ruslan is a person of action’. And that’s really it: Ruslan undertakes difficult tasks, without wasting words. He grasps the essence of any situation quickly and works out how to respond. As a friend he is always responsive, always ready to help. He loves adventure sports such as trekking and cycling marathons. He has travelled many times to the Chernobyl and Belarussian Exclusion Zones [established after the nuclear explosion in 1986, now uninhabited, richly forested areas].

Ruslan is a proponent of anarchist ideas, and the Russian military aggression against Ukraine distressed him greatly. All the more so because some of his friends and comrades died in that conflict, and people continue to die there. And now he himself has become a victim of state violence, and our support is important to him".

Address for letters: Russia, 109382 Moscow, ul. Verkhnie Polya 57, SIZO-7, Siddiqui Ruslan Kasemovich (d.o.b. 1988). You can send letters through the on-line service PrisonMail.online.

How to write a letter to a prisoner if you are not in Russia?
https://t.me/solidarity_zone/158

Details for money transfers to the Solidarity Zone:

PayPal: [email protected]

Monero: 4B1tm6boA5ST6hLdfnPRG2Np9XMHCTiyhE6QaFo46QXp6tZ7Y6nJjE43xBBTwHM84bWwexR8nS4KH36JHujjc1kC8j2Mx5e

Bitcoin: bc1qn404lrshp3q9gd7852d7w85sa09aq0ch28s3v4

USDT (TRC20): TRcCUHKSMY7iLJPvbDxLc6ZnvAud72jTgj

Other donations: write by mail [email protected]

[source]

For A Campaign Against Prison Slavery

27/11/23

Slave labour. That's what the imprisoned call the forced work we're compelled to perform whilst locked up. Imagine the situation where conditions are so bad and the 23 hour lock-up so arduous that you would welcome the chance to get out of your cell to perform some meaningless task just for the brief opportunity it gives you to socialise. Prison workers are prohibited from joining a union, going on strike or organising their workplaces. They face penalties, prosecution, segregation units and/or time added to their sentences. £1.50 per shift is the average wage, but is reported to be lower in some prisons. The most basic factory line assembly work is usually the only labour available and despite the political propaganda about "rehabilitation" there is very little vocational training and education here.

Private companies can make much more from the forced labour of prisoners and this undercuts the value of workers outside. Prison labour is a predatory practice, highly cynical and a direct attack against workers self-management. Any movement that seeks the destruction of capitalism must make prison labour a significant type of their activism. The surest way to do this is to begin in the private companies which are making profits off the exploitation of prisoners. The secondary target is the state itself and its prisons, which are already hardened against the pressure of the social struggle.

Prisoners are experts in the subversion of their workplaces and are waiting for those outside to join them. By improvement of prisoners' working conditions and pay, those outside will see their struggle see immediate gains. Although this is merely an intermediate struggle it is highly critical as it hits key faultlines of the prison-industrial complex.

Long live Anarchy!

Toby Shone
17th November 2023
HMP Garth

Information about Toby's case can be found here:

www.brightonabc.org.uk/news.html#56a

You can write to Toby at:

Toby Shone A7645EP
HMP Garth
Ulnes Walton
Leyland
Preston
PR26 8NE

and you can donate to Toby here:

The Bottled Wasp
Sort Code: 08-92-99
Acc No: 65601648
IBAN: GB35 CPBK 0892 9965 6016 48
BIC: CPBK GB22
Ref: ADREAM

International Anti-Prison / Anti-Repression Gathering, Brighton, UK. March 29-31, 2024

08/04/24

Anarchists and other comrades from Spain, Germany, Sweden, Italy, USA, and UK met in Brighton over the Easter Weekend to share recent experiences of repression and some strategies for dealing with it.

The weekend opened with a talk by comrades from Spain about the infiltration of Colze a Colze and Cinetika squatted social centres followed by a discussion. From Italy, Cassa Antirepressione delle Alpi Occidentali spoke about their project of revolutionary solidarity with both political and common prisoners. The Forest Case presented their experience of Operation Adream and the current status of imprisoned anarchist Toby Shone. A talk was also given on the German anti-fascist repression and Budapest arrests.

On the Sunday, a member of Plan C gave a talk about the pathologisation of "offending" and oppositional political ideologies. A comrade from Sweden described how this is already happening there with some anarchists being placed in psychiatric care rather than criminal prisons because their beliefs and resistance to the state is now described as evidence of personality disorder. A long discussion ensued about various state practices designed to encourage signposting of radicalisation and extremism in schools and communities and how 'risk factors' can be something as innocent as outdoor pursuits. People agreed to research and compile these practices so that a European wide view is possible.

There was a discussion of the hunger strike of Alfredo Cospito in Italy and a brief history of these strikes with the announcement that Italian comrades are putting together a history and analysis of using one's own body as an instrument of struggle.

We thank the Cowley Club for hosting the gathering, Brighton ABC for organising it and all those who cooked, cleaned and facilitated the gathering taking place.

International Anti-Prison / Anti-Repression Gathering, Brighton, UK. March 29-31, 2024

20/01/24

Following the original announcement of the gathering, we have taken on board the input of various potential participants and the focus/theme of the gathering has crystallised around the changing environment faced by those of us who are active in the field of solidarity and support for anarchist, class-struggle and other political prisoners worldwide:

• the direct and ever-changing threat to anarchist and class-struggle praxis from the organs of the State (c.f.: the "pathalogicalisation" of anarchist beliefs in the Operation Adream case and of "offender behaviour" in general in the UK); and,
• the wider attacks on the ability of groups and individuals to provide practical solidarity and support to prisoners, as witnessed in the recent labelling of ABC Dresden as an extremist organisation by the Saxony state.

Aims:

The event aims to be an informal and self-organised gathering of activists, representatives and delegates from groups active in the prisoner solidarity / anti-prison / anti-repression struggle, one focused on the consolidation of international solidarity, the renovation of contacts and discussions amongst groups that operate in this field worldwide (we can all acknowledge that a solidarity campaign is a lot stronger when elevated at the international level) and it is that this will be a good occasion to coordinate as such.

Whilst much of our focus will be based on the experience of activists from the UK, we will be overlaying that with contributions from groups worldwide, including those from both sides of the prison walls.

Please note that this is a largely self-organised event. We are able to provide the venue for the event, catering and a Saturday evening social with live music. However, given the size of the Cowley Club, the number of attendees is limited, as is the availability of accommodation (preference will be given to those coming from abroad and distance travelled). We are now asking potential attendees to register an interest so that we can more efficiently organise the logistics for the event.

Preference will also be given to delegates/representatives of organisations active within the prisoner support field. We are also asking them that if they can find their own accommodation for the duration of the gathering that would be a massive help for us.

Letter in support of the gathering from anarchist prisoner Toby Shone.

To register your interest and for further information email: [email protected]

Call For An International Anti-Repression Gathering. Brighton, UK, March 29th-31st, 2024

13/11/23

In the face of escalated attacks against workers, young people, migrants and the living conditions of prisoners, we call for an encounter to learn how we can combine our struggle and understand how to advance our fight for a world without police, prisons and borders.

In the UK as elsewhere, murderous police kill with impunity whilst politicians make way for a vast prison building program that will affect the poorest and most marginalised parts of society. Anarchists, activists and environmentalists are targetted as "extremists" and "terrorists" with special police teams designed to infiltrate and dismantle their campaigns and organisations.

Our communities are increasingly turned into open prisons, "a prison society", through new technologies of social control. It's time to stop wringing our hands and instead get organised. What do we have in common and can we build a common platform of action and discussion that helps us build a better world.

The event will take place over a weekend of Friday March 29th to Sunday 31st, 2024. If you wish to participate contact ABC Brighton at [email protected]

--

Subjects to be covered include: 
Operation Adream
Kill The Bill (Bristol) cases
Police Brutality
Deaths in Custody
Migration Detention
Work of IWOC
Participating Group Presentations
Text / Recordings from Prisoners
We also hope to have a set-up to allow virtual contributions too.

Things Change, Some Stay The Same. Letter by imprisoned anarchist Toby Shone

05/12/23

Operation Adream Recalled

As expected I was taken hostage again by the armed mercenaries of the British Crown. I spent nine months on probation subjected to extensive "anti-terrorist" restrictions and curfew at an open unit in Gloucester. Even now I remain under surveillance and profiling by a high level MAPPA [Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements - arrangement for managing the risks posed by sexual and violent offenders post-release], which aims at my political and psychological annihilation. This process continues with my transfer to the long-term high security prison estate in revenge for an unrepentant practical anarchism.

Out in conditional freedom with simply a bigger cage, the one we are all in, the United Kingdom is a surveillance state, and open prison society enforced by a culture of fear, violence and apathy. It's time to tear down the walls.

Anti-Prison Meeting in Brighton, March 2024

At the end of March 29th-31st ABC Brighton will host an anti-prison public meeting which presents an opportunity for international discussion on prison and solidarity. Contributions are welcome from comrades in jail. These letters can be read out and circulated. Again, the point is to create another dialogue between sections of dynamic anarchy and blur the boundaries between "inside and outside". All groups and individuals active on the issues of repression and imprisonment are invited as well as general attendees who want to know more and participate in the discussions. Everyone is welcome, everything continues, nothing is over.

The British prison system is in an extreme state of crisis, much like the society that it is a reflection of. Britain locks up more people than any other country in Europe. Prison lockdown strategies imposed during the COVID 19 are little changed due to widespread lack of screws and recruitment. There is a lack of basic resources, administration, activities, time out of cells, library and education. This manufactured decay is not an accident. The prison estate is overcrowded, brutal and beyond reform.

I want to send a warm embrace to all those who met to shatter the silence with fireworks and resistance in response to my re-arrest. This action fuelled my energy and my heart. It made the enemies furious, hastening my transfer from the cesspit of misery that is Bristol prison. You have my deepest gratitude.

Blazing splendour to all the comrades who are imprisoned, under repression or wanted. A hug to those in the streets. Take care of each other and don't take one step back.

"Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind wake in the day to find that all is vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, and make it possible." -- T.E Lawrence, 'The Seven Pillar of Wisdom'.
For international revolutionary solidarity
T. Shone 30th November, 2023

You can write to Toby at:
Toby Shone A7645EP
HMP Garth
Ulnes Walton
Leyland
Preston
PR26 8NE.

You can also contact his soli group at: [email protected]

and you can donate to Toby here:
The Bottled Wasp
Sort Code: 08-92-99
Acc No: 65601648
IBAN: GB35 CPBK 0892 9965 6016 48
BIC: CPBK GB22
Ref: ADREAM

Mars

In the early dawn
With the light of Mars
Burning bright,
A murder of crows
Heralds an underworld's close

In overwhelming number.
Gathers pace,
In the ocean's rise.
Strength, War, Eternity.

Toby Shone, 23/10/23

Conversation #1

Can you remember all the times the cops
pulled their guns on you?

Do you remember when they tortured, raped?
The nameless dead and silenced.

Do you remember the mountains, how they
stayed with you? Sweet pine, spruce and cypress?

When we met all together at the café?

When the breeze of the city night
caught our breath? In the heat of
the cold world?

The sound of the sirens and
getting away?

The flash of hundreds of eyes, thousands,
when reality burned like a million
suns?

Those days will come again.

Toby Shone, 19/11/23

No Extradition for Aikhal Ammosov

18/10/23

Yakut anti-war activist and member of the punk band Crispy Newspaper Aikhal Ammosov (Igor Ivanov) was placed in a pre-trial detention center at Almaty, Kazakhstan. Journalist Evgenia Baltatarova was the first to report this.

As a representative of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR) told Mediazona, Ammosov was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 40 days "in connection with the extradition issue." The KIBHR did not specify what was the reason for the request from the Russian authorities.

The telegram channel "Movement for the Independence of Sakha "Resistance"" wrote about Ammosov's detention on October 9 2023. The publication said that the activist had recently been wanted by Kazakh security forces. The channel also posted a video of the arrest of a Yakut – he is accompanied by two people in civilian clothes.

A year before this, in August 2022, a criminal case was opened against Ammosov for "discrediting" the army (Part 1 of Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The reason for it was a banner with the inscription Yakutian punk against war, which the activist hung on the roof of the "Nugget" swimming pool in the center of Yakutsk.

The activist was fined three times under protocols for "discrediting" the military (Part 1 of Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation) – because of graffiti "No to war" in three languages, a leaflet "Get your hands dirty with paint, not blood" and a picket near the Ritual Service branch with a poster "The groom has arrived".

The original article in russian: https://zona.media/news/2023/10/12/ammosov

A Request By Solidarity Group For Toby Shone

12/02/24

The solidarity group for Toby Shone would like to ask that anyone writing to him could also take a moment to let us know that you have sent him a letter by dropping an email to [email protected]

HMP Garth are telling him – as have other prisons he has been in – that he has no mail. The State and the pigs are desperate to isolate Toby and to make him believe that he has no support. This is stated in his probation paperwork as a goal of his probation team and the National Security Division.

Let's not let them win! We have no control over whether the prison gives Toby his mail and books. We do however have control over writing to him and letting his support group know that you have so that even if he doesn't receive it, he knows it was sent to him. A letter sent by recorded delivery so that we can tell Toby that yes, this letter arrived on such and such a date is even better.

Toby is very resilient and is always in good spirits. However, he has been very unwell, has lost a considerable amount of weight as a result of the lack of food and calorie count typical of Britain's jails and now faces a month of no visits due to confusion over bookings. So now would be a really really good time to send Toby a postcard, a letter or an email (and then let us know that you have).

Thanks a million.
The State is the Terrorist.
No one is Alone!

Forest Case Folks
[email protected]

Toby Shone A7645EP
HMP Garth
Ulnes Walton Lane
Leyland
Preston
PR26 8NE

HMP Garth Illegally Restricting Toby Shone's Mail

19/11/23

Toby Shone, currently incarcerated in Category B prison HMP Garth, is receiving no mail - including his legal mail from his lawyers - and any money being sent into him to be added to his prison account is being restricted to only those persons on his approved contact list. If you are intending to send him a letter, it is suggested that you send you message via www.emailaprisoner.com/, which he is currently able to receive. If you want to send him money and are not on his approved contact list, Toby suggests you send it to his support group (bank account details below).

If you have sent him mail, books, etc. at HMP Garth and have not received a reply, Toby asks that you contact Brighton ABC [[email protected]] so that you can be added to the complaint that his lawyers are putting together to challenge the prison's actions.

The Bottled Wasp
Co-operative Bank
Sort code: 08-92-99
Acc. No.: 65601648
BIC: CPBKGB22
IBAN: GB 35 CPBK 08929965601648

You can also write to him at via emailaprisoner.com:

Toby Shone A7645EP
HMP Garth

Anarchist Toby Shone Recalled To Prison On 19 September 2023

22/10/23

Imprisoned anarchist Toby Shone has been moved 265 kilometres from his home in Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire and nearly 300 kilometres from support in Bristol to HMP Garth in Leyland, a high security prison near Manchester. Despite being in the resettlement part of his sentence, a vengeful probation and counter-terror team are attempting to isolate Toby from his perceived support base and loved ones in the south of the country and deliberately place him at risk of harm in a notoriously violent Category B prison for those serving sentences of 10 years or more. Probation has demanded Toby serve the rest of his sentence which is just short of 13 months, due for release on 11 November 2024.

Toby was imprisoned in Wandsworth, Bristol and G4S Prison Parc for nearly two years accused of being the administrator of counter-information project 325.nostate.net. After the political prosecution failed and the cops had to drop the case 5 days before trial in October 2021, Toby received a sentence of 3 years 9 months for possession of psychedelic medicines. He was released on 28 December 2022 under heavy restrictions (license conditions) overseen by a multi-agency team (MAPPA) including the National Security Division (counter-terror) and was forced to live in a filthy bail hostel in Gloucester for 9 months. He had just moved back into a flat in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire when, on the morning of 19 September 2023, he was pulled over and arrested by an armed police unit a few miles from the city of Gloucester. He was accused of being in possession of an [unauthorised] phone and attending a dinner and prisoner letter writing night at BASE anarchist social centre in Bristol in August.

Toby continues to be held as a TACT (Terrorist) prisoner despite being proclaimed Not Guilty of any terrorist offence by a High Court Judge in a court of law in October 2021.

Toby is in great spirits as ever and requests letters and emails. Emails are getting through very quickly on emailaprisoner.com (please get him a reply sheet). You can also write to him at:

Toby Shone A7645EP
HMP Garth
Ulnes Walton
Leyland
Preston
PR26 8NE
UK

If anyone in the north of the country would like to visit Toby, please contact his soli group at [email protected]

Books must be ordered and sent direct from Waterstones, Blackwells, Wordery, WH Smiths, Foyles and Mr B's Emporium Bookshop.

Anarchist Toby Shone Recalled To Prison On 19 September 2023

21/09/23

Toby Shone is an anarchist who was imprisoned in Wandsworth, Bristol and G4S Prison Parc for nearly two years accused of being the administrator of counter-information project 325.nostate.net. After the political prosecution failed and the cops had to drop the case 5 days before trial in October 2021, Toby received a sentence of 3 years 9 months for possession of psychedelic medicines. He was released on 28 December 2022 under heavy restrictions (license conditions), oversight by a multi-agency team (MAPPA) including the National Security Division (counter-terror) and was forced to live in a filthy bail hostel in Gloucester for 9 months. He had just moved back into a flat in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire 9 days ago.

On the morning of 19 September 2023, he was driving to an appointment with his probation officer when he was pulled over and arrested by an armed police unit in-between the Forest of Dean and Gloucester. He was taken to HMP Bristol. He is awaiting more detailed information, but his legal team say that the allegations are that he breached two of his license conditions: being in possession of an [unauthorised] phone and attending a meeting in Bristol in August.

Toby is in great spirits as ever and requests letters and books. Please write to him at:

Toby Shone A7645EP
HMP Bristol
19 Cambridge Road
Bishopston
Bristol BS7 8PS

You can also contact his soli group at [email protected]

How The Wind Rustles And The Acorns Fall: A Few Days Of Freedom!

14/09/23

On 29.08.2023, after almost 27 years of imprisonment, I was released from the high-security area of Freiburg prison with two hours notice. How does a person feel in such a situation? I would like to report on this after the first 14 days.

On 29.08.2023: The release!
At 8 a.m. I was still sitting in the visiting area of the prison with the probation officer, who might be responsible for me in the future, and we puzzled over when and if a release would take place. At 2 p.m. the time had come - I was discharged and on my way to my new place to live.

I should have been overflowing with happiness, but my focus was on the speedy handling of the move and my first official visits. Already around 3 p.m. I was at the job center and then at the health insurance company. The evening became long, ended after midnight. I got to know people in the new living environment, talked to friends on the phone and immediately started texting. The world of the 21st century had integrated me in a short time: thanks to the local group of the Rote Hilfe e.V. from Freiburg, my smartphone and laptop were ready. It felt surreal to sit on the tram and talk on the phone - just hours before I had sat in a cell with a corded phone and was only allowed to call numbers approved by the prison, and the conversations would be monitored and recorded, as it was always said in an announcement text before calls.

At 8 p.m., for the first time in 27 years, I sat together in a circle of people who voluntarily live together, who had voluntarily taken me in, and where I voluntarily went. It felt just as surreal, but really good.

The first night

The rustling of the leaves, the chirping of the crickets and the falling and hitting of the acorns on the roof, something that the residents here experience every day, was for me after 27 years each an event in itself, the stars above me, the sky. There are rarely trees in prison, the stars are outshone by the bright spotlights of the security infrastructure, everything has to be illuminated and illuminated down to the last detail. The night was short, only about 2 or 3 hours of restless sleep.

The following days
This is not meant to be an account of individual experiences that are banal and commonplace for the readership. But many more phone calls followed for me, my first beautiful personal encounters in freedom, without the usual security apparatus of a prison, excursions to the local Schloßberg or even to the nearby Münstertal. At the same time, the smartphone almost grew on my hand because calls came, appointments had to be coordinated - so that I was suddenly more on the move in a week than in the prison in several weeks. The phone calls with friends were and still are particularly good, because the sensory overload was quite pronounced.

Effect of long deprivation of liberty
Imprisonment in general, especially for a long time, has a detrimental effect on the soul and body, as a rule, people break and break over time. Resisting this takes a lot of strength and success is much better with the help of solidarity from outside. Often, even contact with the world outside the walls can give a person the determination that he might not otherwise have to persevere. The neurological-biological side should not be underestimated either: people's brains get used to an unparalleled lack of stimulation in years and decades. Always the same walls, colours, paths, smells, people and sounds.

The "dismissal shock" is particularly pronounced after decades, because so much has changed, dealing with it adequately is a challenge that in turn drains the strength. There is new money (the euro), new technology (smartphone), you don't just pass by offices today, but have to make an appointment via the Internet or telephone, and much more. Quite a few fail because of this. I am fortunate enough to be accompanied in a very friendly and supportive manner, to an extent that probably not many ex-prisoners are allowed to experience.

Thanks to so many people
I thank the people who have accompanied me, some of them for more than two decades, who have allowed me to walk the path with them and who have walked the path with me.

I would also like to thank the organisations that showed solidarity. The Rote Hilfe e.V. (so called: Red Aid), groups of abc (especially abc Brighton), gefangenen info ( "captured info"), the DreckSack (a Literary Magazine from Berlin). I would also like to thank those who have sent me reading material, letters, books over many, many years and who have also supported me financially.

And my special thanks go to those who typed my articles over and over again, because without their help I would have been doomed to be mute, because in prison I had no access to the Internet. This thanks includes those who have translated my axes and edited translations.

The coming weeks and months
There will be more meetings, events, at some point the attempt to gain a foothold at Radio Dreyeckland (www.rdl.de/) as an intern and Volunteer service, maybe even a visit to the cinema, finding my way into a life that will often remain just a dream for the thousands of prisoners in the FRG and millions worldwide. I keep hearing the rustling of the leaves and the falling of the acorns!

Finally in freedom!

For a world without cages and prisons!

Thomas Meyer-Falk
-Freiburg (Germany)-

www.freedomforthomas.wordpress.com/

Text Of The Anarchist Political Prisoners Pola Roupa & Nikos Maziotis In Greece

03/06/23

We are two imprisoned political prisoners, members of the armed anarchist organisation Revolutionary Struggle, which operated between 2003 and 2017. During that time, we took responsibility for 18 actions and attacks against various targets related to the political and economic regime, the state, and capital. The Revolutionary Struggle claimed responsibility for bombings and armed attacks targeting the Ministries of Finance and Labour, the Athens Stock Exchange, the Bank of Greece, the International Monetary Fund office, banks, police stations, as well as the suppression of riots and demonstrations by the riot police (MAT). Additionally, the organisation took credit for an attempted attack on the Minister of Public Order and an attack on the US Embassy in Athens using an anti-tank rocket. In 2016, our comrade Pola Roupa attempted a helicopter hijacking to facilitate the escape of comrade Maziotis and other prisoners, with the aim of continuing the actions of the Revolutionary Struggle.

During our action, we tragically lost a comrade named LambrosFoudas. He was killed on March 10, 2010, during a clash with the police while engaging in the organisation's preparatory action. This incident occurred during a time when the Revolutionary Struggle had initiated actions against the global financial crisis and the enforcement of loan agreements in Greece.

Since our initial arrests in 2010, we have consistently taken political responsibility for our involvement in the Revolutionary Struggle. Throughout the numerous trials we have faced, we have publicly defended our actions as well as those of our organisation. We have staunchly supported the policy of armed revolutionary action against both the state and capital. Additionally, we have advocated for the Social Revolution, aiming to overthrow the current economic-political system of power and establish an egalitarian society free from class distinctions. Our vision entails a confederation of communities (communes) as the foundation for this transformative and classless social organisation.

During the course of our actions, we have received awards on two occasions. The first award came in 2007 when the US State Department offered a reward of 1,000,000 dollars for information leading to the capture of Revolutionary Struggle members. Additionally, the Greek state provided a reward of 800,000 euros immediately after the organisation's attack on the US embassy in Athens using an anti-tank rocket. The second award was bestowed upon both of us personally in 2014 by the Greek state where the two of us were awarded personally with 1,000,000 euros each. It's important to note that this proclamation occurred while we were in a state of "illegality," which we experienced after our release in 2011. This release came after our 18-month pre-trial detention had expired, as the Greek Constitution prohibits keeping individuals in pre-trial detention for more than 18 months without trial.

The proclamation was issued in response to the bombing that took place in 2014, orchestrated by the Revolutionary Struggle. The attack involved a car bomb containing 75 kilograms of explosives, targeting the building of the Supervisory Directorate of the Bank of Greece in Athens, which also housed the IMF office. The motive behind this action was to express opposition to the loan agreements that the Greek state had entered into since 2010, following pressure from supranational institutions such as the European Central Bank, European Commission, and International Monetary Fund (commonly referred to as the troika). Following our arrest, we initially received a life imprisonment sentence for our involvement in this operation. However, the appeals court subsequently overturned this sentence. After enduring a grueling legal process consisting of eight lengthy trials (including four trials of the first degree and four appeals court hearings), we have been handed down multiple sentences totaling many tens of years. These sentences have been consolidated and extended to a cumulative term of 20 years.

In addition to our convictions, we also faced an appalling form of state repression when the Greek government targeted our own child in their war against us. When we were first arrested in 2010, the comrade Pola Roupa was six months pregnant, and our son was born a few months later while we were in prison. In 2012, we went into hiding before the conclusion of the first trial against the Revolutionary Struggle (2011-2013), where we were sentenced in absentia to 50 years.Our son remained with us throughout these years until my partner was arrested in January 2017 (the comrade Nikos Maziotis had already been arrested in July 2014). Instead of handing over our son to our relatives, the police, acting on the prosecutor's orders, transferred him to a closed psychiatric ward under police guard. Initially, they did not allow any visitors for several days. The purpose of the Greek state's actions was to exert maximum pressure on us and disrupt the parental relationship we had with our son. They stripped us of our parental rights from the moment my partner Pola Roupa was arrested, citing our actions and convictions.This unprecedented incident caused significant outrage in society. After several days of hunger and thirst strikes on our part and the mobilisation of our comrades and partners, the Greek state eventually returned our son to our relatives. However, through a court decision, custody was subsequently taken away from us.

We have already spent more than 10 years in prison, with one of us nearing 8 years. According to the right to apply for parole after serving 3/5 of the sentence, we should be eligible for release after 12 years, taking into account additional calculation of work time completed in prison. Comrade Maziotis has already surpassed this limit, along with one year of work done, yet the suspension board has rejected the granting of suspension and parole on at least two occasions, and has disregarded his third request.In addition to our 20-year sentences, we have also been burdened with exorbitant fines. Recently, the state's "bills" have become a pressing issue, encompassing court costs from eight separate trials, as well as fines and court costs from military courts regarding comrade Nikos Maziotis. These military court expenses stem from his total refusal to perform military service when he was called up at the age of 18. The cumulative amount of these debts has reached 70,000 euros.

Comrades, we have devoted our lives to the battle against the state and capital, fighting for the cause of revolution. We have willingly and knowingly paid, and continue to pay, a significant price for the path we have chosen. This is a burden we anticipated from the very beginning, and we accept it without hesitation.

The challenges stemming from long-term imprisonment, as in our case, extend beyond our own personal experiences. They profoundly affect our family environment, particularly when there are young children and elderly individuals involved. These difficulties have been and continue to be of utmost importance to us. This is especially true in the current circumstances, as one of our relatives is grappling with severe health issues. Specifically, it is our partner Rupa's mother and our son's grandmother who has assumed custody of our child. Despite her advanced age and fragile health condition, she, along with Rupa's sister, who also shares custody, have ensured that our son did not end up in an institution. Thanks to their dedicated care, he is growing up in a stable and secure environment.

At this critical juncture, what is of utmost importance to us is the provision of financial assistance that can contribute to the treatment of our relative's serious health issues and provide support to our family. This support is what we prioritize and consider crucial during these challenging times.

Pola Roupa, 3rd wing of Thebes women's prison (Greece)

Nikos Maziotis, 4th wing of Domoko prison

The political prisoners of Revolutionary Struggle

Gabriel Pombo, Another Turn Of The Screw By The Spanish Penitentiary Institutions

04/04/23

The anarchist prisoner Gabriel Pombo da Silva has just been transferred from the Mansilla de las Mulas prison in León to the prison of Navalcarnero, Madrid IV. Instead of being released, something that should be immediate with the application of the more favorable sections of the Penal Code, he is being punished again for refusing to collaborate with the prison regime and for freely expressing himself by defending the improvement of the conditions of the prisonersin the Spanish State.
The prosecutor's office of the Supreme Court had already requested last summer the application of the most favorable Penal Code provisions, which would mean his immediate release. The high court, however, is in no hurry, and keeps the comrade Gabriel in a legal limbo that in reality amounts to an illegal kidnapping.
The continuous denunciations of Gabriel, his support groups around the world and his legal defense environment do not please the Penitentiary Institutions, which has opted to transfer him to the Madrid prison at night and for spurious reasons, such as that he is being brought closer to his family (when in fact it is the opposite, since he is 400 kilometers further away from Galicia) and under the excuse of a grade review, something that he should not be undergoing at this time.
The State does not comply with its own laws. Nor does it apply the most favorable Penal Code, something that judges do daily with rapists and aggressors of women, nor does it apply to him the Constitution in the name of which they supposedly dispense Justice by failing to facilitate visits between inmates and their families.
Fortunately Gabriel is not alone and no matter how far away they send him to punish his dignity and revolutionary responsibility, there will always be comrades close to him who willvisit him and provide a logistics of support to prevent the struggle for his freedom from waning.
The anarchist group Higinio Carrocera denounce the illegality of this measure and its repressive character, improper of a democratic regime. Penitentiary Institutions want Gabriel submissive and obedient, but even if they keep him for another 32 years behind bars they will never succeed.
We demand:
1) The immediate transfer of Gabriel Pombo da Silva to Galicia to be close to his loved ones, in compliance with current legislation.
2) The immediate application and without further unjustifiable delays.

Update: Current Situation Of Thomas Meyer-Falk (Germany)

08/03/23

I have been an anarchist for decades and I was arrested in October 1996 after a bank robbery, no one was killed or heavily injured. But since that time the state has kept me in prison. On 8th July 2013 I was deported to the 'Preventative Detention' (PD) Unit in the south west of Germany. The PD is something like the IPP in the UK, but PD became law in 1933 by the Nazis and allows the state to keep someone in prison after finishing their sentence, as long as the inmate is supposed to be a threat to public safety. I was judged as a threat to public safety because at the end of the 90's and beginning of the 2000's I was agitating strongly against judges and politicians. So I was convicted to more than 5 years punishment. For the bank robbery the court sentenced me to prison for 11 ½ years. The regular sentence ended on 7th July 2013.

Back to the present time: In 2022 a psychiatrist expert from Munich. In her 130 page report the expert came to the conclusion that I would be no threat. In November 2022 a psychologist from the prison and the public prosecutor sent their statements to the court and criticised the expert's report really hard. But the psychiatrist replied on 17 pages and refuted their arguments.

But the local court in Freiburg, under the presidency of the honourable judge Kronthaler, dissented from the expert's view. After a two hour hearing on the 15th February 2023 the court informed the parties and gave an order for another expert.

The expert from Munich has been testifying for courts for more than 40 years! But she's more open minded than her conservative colleagues. For her it wasn't relevant that I never distanced myself from my past nor my biography and political attitudes.

Friends offered me a place where I could live in town and a local radio station (https://rdl.de/) admitted me into the editorial office. They also offered practical training after my release. Until this takes place I get the possibility to be part of their program by phone, because here at the PD unit we have a phone in the cells. So every month I am on the air. A program called AUSBRUCH (escape/breakout) in which we talk about prisoner's situations and developments.

The fact that there aren't any troubles since more than two decades seems not enough for the court, the prison's administration and the prosecutor. Especially the prison's psychologist criticized that I had never withdrawn my attitudes. So she and her colleagues were afraid that I would maybe take revenge on judges or politicians. It leaves me in a catch-22.

Anyway, I think an upright attitude is more important than falling on your knees!

Thomas Mayer-Falk
c/o JVA (SV),
Hermann-Herder-Str. 8,
79104 Freiburg,
Germany

https://freedomforthomas.wordpress.com

30 Belarusian Anarchist & Antifascist Prisoners Need Your Support

28/05/22

It's been almost two years since the 2020 protests in Belarus. The anarchist movement, just like the rest of activists and jounalists, has faced the biggest crackdown ever. Many activists had to leave the country, others got behind bars. ABC-Belarus continues its activity and needs support more than ever. At the moment, there are about 30 imprisoned anarchists and antifascists in Belarus and the number keeps growing.

We are in the middle of a big trial with 10 defendants that would probably last for the whole summer. Read more about the case here - https://abc-belarus.org/?p=13936&lang=en. Every week just this case alone costs us 3000 euros. Without your help, we won't be able to provide support in this trial for long, meaning that the activists will lose their opportunity to get legal aid. Other comrades need lawyer's visits, food parcels, appeals - all this requires more money than we are able to gather.

Any donations are more than welcome! Please share this call with your comrades and groups, organize fundraising events for us and spread the word about Belarusian imprisoned anarchists.

www.firefund.net/abcbelarus

Imprisoned Anarchist Toby Shone Fights New Battle Against Fascist UK State

22/10/22

Imprisoned anarchist Toby Shone is fighting a new battle as he counts down the weeks to his halfway release on December 28th 2022.

As the UK collapses into something resembling a tin-pot dictatorship and a Victorian poorhouse, Toby continues to be targeted by the Probation Service and their colleagues in the Counter-Terror National Security Division and MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements) for his 'thought crimes ', 'anarchism' and 'alternative lifestyle'.

In September, Toby was informed that Cardiff-based probation officer Paul Smith had booked a series of interviews for him (without communicating these to his lawyers as instructed) with forensic psychologist Dr Harriet Chapman from the Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology, University of Birmingham. Dr Chapman's intention was to interrogate Toby under the Extremism Risk Guidelines formulation tool, ERG22+. This assessment which is “intended for use with people who have been convicted of any extremist or extremist-related offence” (which he hasn't been) considers at least 22 factors by which an individual can be regarded as an extremist and thus be subject to de-radicalisation measures. We could find no public paper detailing these 22 factors or the format of the interview.

These largely experimental and deeply authoritarian de-radicalisation measures, which appear to be rolled out on a one-to-one basis, include the Healthy Identity Intervention, Desist and Disengagement Programme, Motivational and Engagement Intervention and Developing Dialogues. All of these are highly invasive, intensive programmes designed to investigate and dismantle a targeted individual's personal narrative, childhood and influences, to attempt to undermine their critique of the existent, to isolate them from their relationships and affinities and to re-mould them into the perfect citizen under conditions of duress. Think re-education camps and political indoctrination. In effect they are seeking to "pathologise" the holding of anarchist beliefs: anarchism as a psychological illness. This tactic of “punitive psychiatry” has been used by other authoritarian states, most notably Soviet Russia, China and the USA.

Naturally, Toby refused to co-operate, at which point he received a letter from his probation officer Mr Smith threatening that “Whilst you have every right not to engage with this piece of work, the assessment will be undertaken whether or not you take an active role in it. For your own sake though, I would suggest that it would be preferable for it to include your voice rather than being a paper-based assessment.”

Despite being found Not Guilty of any terrorist offence in October 2021 and the subsequent rejection by a High Court judge of the prosecution's application for a Serious Organised Crime Prevention Order against Toby on the grounds of “No Necessity”, the cops have found willing partners in the probation service. Although at this stage, there appears to be no legal basis for their demands, the cops and probation are continuing to bring the same accusations and evidence to bear that failed to even make it to a trial in October 2021, but this time to a different judge.

The licensing restrictions under consideration by Probation, Counter-Terror and MAPPA are even more extreme and extensive than those applied for under the Serious Organised Crime Prevention Order that Toby defeated in May 2022. He has been re-categorised by Paul Smith, whom he has met a total of 15 minutes, as High Risk in a new OASIS report (his previous probation officer stated that Toby was Low Risk) and has been placed on MAPPA 4, Level 3 – the highest risk category under this joint agency. All without a trial or a conviction.

It is clear that the UK police state is trying to set the groundwork for LASIT (Left, Anarchist and Single Issue Terrorism). Toby is a test case.

Draft conditions include:

• No contact with extremists or anyone arrested for extremism;
  
  
• No discussions (sharing opinions will be regarded as 'grooming' 'radicalisation' and 'preaching');
  
  
• No attending any meeting or gathering except for the purpose of worship;
  
  
• Only one phone, which must be handed over to the police whenever they ask for it – nothing must ever be deleted from this phone; and,
  
  
• Toby must live in an Approved Hostel for one year.

The first two conditions (contact and discussions) cannot hold water without defining who and what is an extremist and begs the question whether they will be subjecting all of Toby's associates to ERG22+ too in order to come up with a workable plan. Equally it will interesting and enlightening to find out exactly what topics of conversation and what opinions are now forbidden in modern-day Britain: in recent weeks, we have already seen that silently and peacefully holding an anti-monarchy placard is an arrestable offence.

Furthermore, a year in an Approved Hostel is unprecedented and unnecessary. AP's are for those who will find it difficult to 'integrate back into society': people without social support, sex offenders, addicts and violent offenders.

There are more political prisoners in UK now than in living memory. Toby Shone's case – more than any other – is of paramount importance as this is an almost extra-legal attempt to criminalise and destroy not only a perceived opponent, but also the entirety of anarchist and libertarian ideals and ideas at a time when crushing and barefaced attacks on the poor give those ideas more leverage  and potentiality than ever before.

It is time to dismantle any lines people may still be drawing between each other in the hopes of appearing to be more legitimate to the State. Particularly, in these times, when civilisation as we knew it is in collapse and the infrastructures of the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions are being established, any one of us who has an ounce of free thinking in them is a threat and a target. This attack on Toby Shone is not isolated. All over the world, anarchists and activists are being rounded up and thrown in jail. We are responsible for keeping these ideas alive and we need to pay attention, stand together, support those trapped in the judicial system and attack where we can.

HMP Parc Attempts To Isolate Toby Shone From His Supporters

27/06/22

Imprisoned Anarchist Toby Shone who is being held at the private G4S prison HMP/YOI Parc in Bridgend, South Wales, is now unable to communicate by phone with his solidarity group and closest loved ones after the Security Team at Parc, headed by Daniel Hayman, removed these contacts from his permitted phone pin numbers list on Friday 24th June 2022 at 6pm. This together with interference with his post and emails is an attempt to hold him incommunicado in the jail.

He was formally notified of this decision on Saturday 25th with the following reasons given: giving interviews over the phone, giving detailed information about staff at the prison which has then been published online, and hate speech against some prison staff.

Neither Toby nor his comrades are surprised by this action and Toby remains strong and defiant. The weak and pitiful lackeys that work in the prison camps of capital, locking other human beings up in exchange for a little piece of silver and a small dimension of power over others, are no match at all for the revolutionary spirit and they know it. Neither Toby nor any of us will ever shut up.

Write to the prison to complain and show your solidarity by contacting the Director of HMP Parc:

Janet Wallsgrove
HM Prison Parc
Heol Hobcyn John
Coity, Bridgend, CF35 6AP
South Wales.

Tel: 01656 300200
General Fax: 01656 300316
Email: [email protected]

or send your messages of solidarity to Toby:

Toby Shone A7645EP
HM Prison Parc
Heol Hobcyn John
Coity, Bridgend, CF35 6AP
South Wales.

[Please be aware that his mail is being interfered with and the prison may not allow him you communication but they WILL know the strength of the solidarity we can show him.]

Down With The Prisons, Down With Capital.

Further Toby Shone Repression

21/05/22

The cell search described by Toby Shone is believed to be an attempt at intimidation by G4S Parc following a month of concerted efforts by those on the outside to call to account Gareth Kite, Post Room Manager, for withholding mail and books from Toby. Although Kite has responded by dribbling Toby small amounts of mail, some of it from months ago - whilst continuing to claim that Toby has no mail - we know that there is a lot of mail outstanding, both from HMP Bristol and HM Prison Parc, and particularly letters and cards of solidarity from political groups and letter-writing nights. Gareth Kite can be contacted at [email protected]

18 MAY 2022
HM Prison Parc

This morning at around 9:40, a team from the Security Department, entered my cell, subjected me to a strip search and proceeded to turn my pad upside down, going through all my possessions - legal papers, letters, photos and books - in the name of "intelligence" that they had received. They refused to say what this "intelligence" consisted of and told me to contact my lawyer. Before I could do so, they removed me and put me in a sterile cell until they had finished the invasion. Suffice to say, these lackeys of G4S didn't find anything, but decided in their impotence to take away a set of shelves, rip a solidarity card I received from London off the wall, take my duvet, my radio antenna and a bottle of medicine for a skin condition issued by the doctor. Incidents like this are part of daily life for us in prison, but as a revolutionary prisoner, I will never let such provocations pass unanswered. One of the team saw fit to ask me, "Where is your Koran?" for which many things could be said, but I'll leave it there for now as rhetoric is cheap and facts are self-evident.

"An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all." Oscar Wilde

Toby Shone's Open Letter In Response To Dan Baker's Statement Of Solidarity

19/05/22

June 11: “Like Mercury” - Letter for Dan Baker, aka Alishare

13/05/2022

Alishare, I heard your message of solidarity, thank you, it gave me strength. I would turn the energy with this open letter, and I hope to kick a brick from the walls. One more time. In a flurry of black feathers and lunar wisdom, a murder of crows delivered your statement and those wily crows told me about your situation in FCI Memphis.

I want to add on to this dialogue and talk about three anarchist comrades imprisoned in Italy. The first is Anna Beniamino who is serving a 17 year sentence for the Scripta Manent case in a high security regime in Rebibbia prison (Rome). The Scripta Manent case involved the arrest of 7 anarchists accused of subversive association with terrorist intent and a series of direct actions claimed by the Informal Anarchist Organization. An absurd farce with obscene conclusions. The second comrade I want to mention is Alfredo Cospito who has been locked up since 2012 for the Adinolfi case for which he was sentenced for nearly 11 years and is now waiting for the confirmation of another sentence of 20 years for the Scripta Manent case. Alfredo was recently struck with the legislature 41 bis, special security regime. Each month, he can only receive either one phone call (10 minutes) or one visit strictly with family members with glass and recorded; he can only walk in the yard with maximum 3 other prisoners previously approved by prison security; he cannot receive books, censorship is applied to his correspondence (number of letters per month is extremely limited), and he has a very limited amount of items which he can keep in his cell. Several international agencies have continuously condemned the 41bis prison regime as torture. The third comrade I want to mention is Juan Sorroche. On the date of the international day of with long-term anarchist prisoners, June the 11th , Juan will face a court hearing in Treviso. Juan is on trial accused of an attack against an office of the Lega Nord political party claimed by the “Cell Haris Hatzimihelakis/Black International (1881/2018)” that happened in August 2018. Juan who was already serving time for other judgements, is now facing a long sentence in this other political trial. Like all the imprisoned anarchists around the world, these three comrades deserve the support and solidarity that the international anarchist movement can give them.

The repression we face is evidence that our struggle has validity, and the enemy is threatened and reactive. Even though we are locked up, our lives continue. Our inner world is still infinitely rich and diverse as we confront our experience. We are part of the same lost continent, and we discover freedom - in our indestructible hearts. Alishare, with our letters, we create an Atlantic bridge where all of us can meet and learn from each other. We anarchists tread the same yards, we hear the same keys and slamming doors, but we discuss, and plan and we don't give up. Dialogues between us are important, as needed as those we have with those outside.

I tell you of some of my news. Maybe it is because of the solidarity efforts of comrades outside, but I was able to receive a few letters, postcards, and a book: “Sara - Prison Memoirs of a Kurdish Revolutionary” by Sakine Cansiz. I don't know who sent me the book but they have my sincere thanks. I received a few letters from Philadelphia ABC sent in the last two months, and a couple of cards from Brighton ABC, and a parcel from NFA ABC in London. That as well as a few other letters, all arrived in the last few days. I still have a lot of correspondence that I have not been given, as well as books. G4S are lying in the face of all this by claiming I have “no mail”, and saying that books are not permitted. In Bristol prison, I was able to receive a copy of “My Pestiferous Life” by Claudio Lavazza before the administration censored my mail. I recommend Claudio’s book, reading it, is like getting a big hug from a dear friend who helped you to escape. Whilst I was in Bristol, comrades from Italy sent me a lunar calendar which was forbidden to me. All anarchists should come to know the pleasure of the Dark Moon. For an alphabet in flames, let the pen reach into the void.

Free Eric King. Free everyone

Toby Shone.

First of May 2022

01/05/22

As a minimal gesture I refuse to eat from the prison servery to mark the Revolutionary 1st of May, to join in the demonstrations around the world using my body as a means of solidarity and to protest the denial of my correspondence by the security company G4S. I will not be isolated from my family, friends and comrades and I continue to define my anti-political convictions. Honour and dignity to all those who have fallen.

Remember Haymarket.

Toby Shone
G4S Parc, UK.

Statement for J11 International Day of Solidarity with Marius Mason & All Long-Term Anarchist Prisoners

30/04/22

"We will have to go to sea and embark on a journey into the unknown. It is up to us to choose the course from the march. We are free to make mistakes." Gustavo Rodriguez – 'Brief Informative Report About The Weather'.

An embrace of life, fire and complicity to all imprisoned anarchist comrades for this June 11th. I have been invited to participate by the comrades in North America, for which they have my thanks and agreement. Whilst I am not condemned to a particularly long sentence, I faced well over a decade at my trial last October in "Operation Adream" and next week I will go to trial again in Bristol on the 6th of May. This time the "anti-terrorist" prosecutors demand up to five years house arrest and special surveillance, which could see me returning to prison frequently. It also has a precedent for the rest of the anarchist space in the UK if the State is successful. International mobilisations are essential for learning about and combining our shared struggles. Opening a space for discussion and praxis enables us to escape the walls and barbed wire which divides and isolates us. I'm locked up for 23 hours a day in a solitary cell, subject to enhanced monitoring and censorship, categorised as "high risk" and placed on the "escape list". I could not care less. I will leave this place without stepping back one millimetre.

"One who has a why to live can bear almost any how." – F. Nietzsche.

There are storms gathering on the horizon.

Toby Shone

Written on the eve of Revolutionary 1st of May, 2022. G4S Parc, UK.

Toby Shone Speaks From The Dungeons Of Bristol Prison, Explaining His Case

15/01/22

My name is Toby Shone, and I’m an imprisoned anarchist held in Bristol prison who was kidnapped at gunpoint by the anti-terrorist unit, as part of Operation Adream in the UK. The repression was aimed to target the anarchist group of critique and practice, 325 collective and the website 325.nostate.net. Operation Adream is an attack by the British State in conjunction with European partners against anarchist direct action groups, counter-information projects, prisoner solidarity initiatives and the new anarchist critique of the technological singularity and the fourth and fifth industrial revolution. Operation Adream is the first time that anti-terrorist legislation has been used against the anarchist movement in the UK.

I was taken hostage by the regime on the 18th of November 2020 by a team of tactical fire arms cops after a car chase through the remote Forest of Dean, which is on the border with South Wales, one hour north of Bristol. At the same time coordinated raids took place at five addresses in the Forest of Dean against collective living projects, hangouts and a storage unit. I was taken under armed guard to a nearby police station where I was held in incommunicado and interrogated many, many times. I refused to speak during the interrogations and I did not cooperate with the murderers in uniform.

I was charged with four counts of terrorism. One charge of Section 2, dissemination of terrorist publications as a suspected administrator 325.nostate.net. Two charges of section 58, possession of information useful for the purposes of terrorism. Those being two videos. One of which showed how to improvise an explosive shaped charge. And the other demonstrated how to burn down a mobile phone transmitter. I was charged with Section 15, funding terrorism, which was related to cryptocurrency wallets hosted on 325.nostate.net which were for the support of anarchist prisoners and publications. I denied all the charges.

I was also accused during the interrogations of membership of FAI/IRF, the Informal Anarchist Federation/International Revolutionary Front. I was accused of writing five documents and carrying out several actions in the Bristol area, which were claimed by cells of the FAI as well as those of the Earth- and Animal Liberation Fronts. These included an incendiary attack against the police station, the burning down of a mobile phone transmitter and liberation of animals.

Bristol is an area of the UK where there has been countless anarchist sabotages and direct actions taking place over the last two decades and which remain unsolved by police, despite multi-million pound investigations and joint media witch hunts against anarchists in the city.

From the collective spaces and hangouts that were raided during Operation Adream the cops seized hundreds of copies of 325 #12 magazine, dozens of anarchist pamphlets, books, stickers, posters and flyers, laptops, mobile phones, printers, hard drives, cameras, radio frequency jammers, gps units, smoke-, noise- and flash charges, replica firearms and cash. In the evidence produced against me was numerous anarchist publications including 325 #12 magazine, which is about the fourth and fifth industrial revolution, the pamphlet “Incendiary dialogues” by Gustavo Rodríguez, Gabriel Pombo da Silva and Alfredo Cospito which is published by Black International Editions. Also the text “What is anarchism” by Alfredo Bonnano, Dark Nights newsletter, the small book “Anarchy, civil or subversive?” by 325 and Dark Matter publications, a flyer in solidarity with anarchist prisoners Alfredo Cospito and Nicola Gai, a flyer against the COVID-19 lockdowns called “Face the fear, fight the future” as well as many other texts and publications in solidarity with anarchist prisoners and revolutionary organisations such as the CCF, Conspiracy of Cells of

I was remanded to Wandsworth prison in London after appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court and held under anti-terrorist conditions. I was denied to make any phone call in the prison for ten days as well as a similar embargo on my mail. I was denied to see my lawyers for six weeks. 23.5 hour solitary confinement with sometimes up to 48 hours without being able to leave the cell for anything other than to collect a meal. No yard time for the first 3 weeks and then only allowed to go outside on the yard once a fortnight for 35 minutes. No gym, no library, no education, no activities. I was held in a dungeon like cell with no natural light and subjected to deafeningly loud construction noise as I was placed by the counter-terror unit next to a new section of the prison being built. My letters, phone calls and associations all subject to routine monitoring and censorship with constant obstruction to access for my lawyers, post and books. I did not receive the full case against me for many, many months.

Operation Adream is a montage, fitting together disparate, unconnected elements, typical of repressive operations in Southern Europe which has spread across the continent. This is now being deployed by the British police. Operation Adream seeks to present the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire as a continuation of the armed Marxist-Leninist revolutionary organisation November 17th. This is an important fantasy for the purposes of repression in this operation as November 17th is a proscribed group in UK. Most importantly, Operation Adream sought to present the diverse range of anarchist groups, publishing projects and prisoner support initiatives as an array of organisational hubs for the execution and glorification of terrorism.

The case was authorised by the Director of Public Prosecutions Max Hill QC. The investigation revealed at least the participation of Dutch and German cops, the hidden hand of the security services and an international dimension to the operation based on previous waves of repression in Spain, Italy and Greece was evident. During my interrogations, I was being asked a pre-written script of questions which , for instance, not even the detectives appeared to understand why I was being asked as the entire operation was a marionnette guided by others to achieve a political purpose. About that, I can only quote the murdered anarchist Bartholomew Vanzetti who remarked, “The higher of them, the more jackass.” It is certainly appropriate as on the 6th October 2021 at Bristol Crown Court I was found Not Guilty. However, I was condemned for the possession and supply of Class A and B narcotics: the psychedelic medicines LSD, DMT, psilocybin, MDMA and marijuana, as these were all seized from the collective spaces. I was sentenced to 3 years 9 months.

I am also fighting against a Serious Organised Crime Prevention Order which is demanded by the anti-terrorist unit and the prosecutors. The order would put me under a form of house arrest for up to 5 years when I finally get released with a punishment of up to 5 years if I breach the order. The order would control and monitor my daily movements, contact with others, residence, usage of money, devices, international travel and so on. It demands precise information be given to the cops of all my friends, contacts and loved ones and is simply a means to monitor and criminalise my friendships and living environments. My trial for that is scheduled no earlier than the 15th of January and the investigation against me continues as does Operation Adream which is aimed at the 325 collective.

I want to thank all those who have supported me. My heart is open and strong and I am determined. I send to you all a huge hug and a smile.

[Link to an audio version of Toby's statement]

Urgent Health Situation Of Chilean Anarchist Francisco Solar

13/07/21

In the first months of 2021, Francisco together with other anarchist and subversive prisoners carried out a hunger strike that lasted more than 50 days against the modification of Decree Law 321 and for the immediate release of Marcelo Villarroel.

In 2010 Francisco had already put his body as a barricade of combat in another strike of more than 60 days in the framework of the Bombs Case.

It is during the last mobilisation that several blood tests were taken from Francisco by the prison administration, including a suspicious situation, where Francisco was urgently admitted to the prison hospital due to the bad result in the blood tests, but a few minutes later the jailers recanted and alluded to a mistake, returning him to prison.

After a slow recovery, continuous cramps, excessive thirst, weight loss, Francisco requested medical examinations after being transferred to the prison of Rancagua. It was not until September 22nd that these examinations were carried out and he was hospitalised urgently. The diagnosis: advanced diabetes with 700 mg/dl of glucose, that is, on the verge of a diabetic coma.

After achieving a minimum stabilisation, he was returned to Module 2, where, despite the two doses of insulin administered daily by the doctors-prisoners in a restrictive manner, he still did not achieve normal glucose parameters.

A few days later, the prisoner began to suffer a significant loss of vision that continues to this day, without receiving any attention, preventing him from reading or other daily tasks. The Rancagua Prison, being managed by a private company, includes terrible food and a systematic prohibition on the entry of parcels, so that the prisoners are forced to buy a series of sweets and food that the concessionary company, like a monopoly, sells. This reality, in practice, is nothing more than the aggravation of the illness and worsening of Francisco’s health.

For the life and health of our comrade, it is urgent that the gendarmerie does not place restrictions for his admission, which is already being negotiated with a private doctor, the end of the prohibitions and limitations in the entrustment, the facilities for an adequate treatment that allows him a minimum autonomy inside the prison.

We know that prison seeks to annihilate and diminish the individual, so overcoming the obstacles and impediments placed by the prison bureaucracy can only be done with mobilisation, solidarity and mutual support. We hold the Gendarmerie responsible for any worsening of the comrade’s health condition.

Agitate and solidarity for the health of comrade Francisco!
Subversive and anarchist prisoners to the streets!

[source]

Terrorism Charges Against Toby Shone Dropped!

06/07/21

Toby Shone is currently beginning his trial for possession and supply of psychedelic medicines. He has pleaded guilty to possession and supply but on a different basis from the prosecution charges - ie: he has agreed that he was part of a shared community of psychedelic medicine users, not that he was supplying drugs for profit. The state has, at the last minute (last Friday [Oct. 1st]) dropped the charges of terrorism. To try and make up for their failures and stupidity with regard Toby, they are looking for a harsh sentence for the medicines (they are calling for 8-10 years). Toby’s defence is confident, but the case is still ongoing.

He was moved to HMP Bristol on Monday for his trial which begins today (Oct. 6th). He would love cards, letters and general greetings whilst the trial is going on, so drop him a quick note to say hi, send love and solidarity to:
Toby Shone A7645EP, 19 Cambridge Rd, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8PS, UK.

Operation Prometeo Trial Ends In Acquittals

05/10/21

At the end of their trial on Monday October 4th, Natascia, Beppe and Robert who were originally arrested on May 21, 2019, as part of Operazione 'Prometeo' and charged with "attack with the aim of terrorism or subversion", were acquitted "for not having committed the fact" due to the lack of evidence presented by the prosecution.

Accused of sending three parcel bombs to the former director of the DAP (Dipartimento dell’Amministrazione Penitenziaria / Department of Penitentiary Administration), Santi Consolo, and two prosecutors of Turin, Roberto Sparagna and Antonio Rinaudo, the prosecution had had asked for senteces of 18 years and 4 months for Beppe and 17 years each for Robert and Natascia.

The court ordered the release of Natascia after two and a half years of imprisonment (Robert had been released on bail in December 2019), while Beppe remains in prison having been sentenced in May 2021 to five years in relation to an incendiary attack on a post office in Genoa on June 8, 2016.

 

Operation Prometeo: Updates On The Ongoing Trial In Genoa [May-July 2021]

05/07/21

On May 10 last, the trial of the 'Prometeo' trial began, in which the anarchist comrades Natascia, Beppe and Robert are accused of sending three parcel bombs to the former director of the DAP (Dipartimento dell’Amministrazione Penitenziaria, "Department of Penitentiary Administration”), Santi Consolo, and two prosecutors of Turin, Roberto Sparagna and Antonio Rinaudo. The trial is taking place in front of the court of assizes of Genoa, as the indictment (article 280, paragraph 1 and paragraph 3) foresees a sentence starting from 20 years imprisonment. The trial was held by videoconference for the two comrades still locked up, Natascia and Beppe, who "attended” the hearings through a screen from the prisons of Santa Maria Capua Vetere and Bologna respectively. The trial followed a schedule of two hearings a week from May 10 to June 2, and saw a considerable number of carabinieri from the ROS (Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale, "Special Operational Grouping”) and experts from the RIS (Reparto Investigazioni Scientifiche, "Scientific Investigations Department”) summoned as witnesses by the prosecution, represented by prosecutor Federico Manotti and by the civil plaintiff who appeared for Rinaudo.

The core of the prosecution’s case revolves around the testimony of ROS General Bogliacino of Turin, which lasted two full days and, rather than talking about specific facts, focused mostly on ideological issues related to the accused comrades in the trial, on their interpersonal relationships and their correspondence with some prisoners, on internet searches dating back to 2012 (!) and related to news and public discussions and on everyday dialogues instrumentally exhumed to reach forced conclusions. The same script used in similar trials for other comrades: after all, the suggestion assumes a fundamental role in a trial against anarchists, even more so if you are in front of a popular jury. For this reason, many words were also spent on friendly relations with a comrade who in the past was arrested on charges of terrorism and possession of alleged explosive material, and in this wake the ROS have then evoked the solidarity with the defendants in the Scripta Manent trial and that directed to another prisoner, to justify in this way the motives and aversions to those who are the offended parties in this process, the DAP and two prosecutors involved in the repression of the struggles and not only. As if the same aversion was not shared by almost every rebel, anarchist, antagonist, or criminal by necessity or virtue.

The same RIS experts were not so convinced of the lethality of the parcel bombs in question, and the witness who tried to appear more credible clung to unspecified "experiments carried out by himself in private”, experiments which, moreover, he did not even expose in the trial in order to demonstrate lethality.

The civil party then appointed its own list of witnesses to bring to the courtroom, all of the same tenor as those mentioned above, and then brought Rinaudo and his wife in person to the courtroom to narrate their fate as persons persecuted by the dangerous antagonist environments, moreover contradicting themselves on the dates of some alleged intimidations.

The defence intervened through the cross-examination of each of the witnesses, the nomination of experts such as the explosives expert and the forensic doctor on the typology of the material, an expert to dismantle certain interceptions which took place according to the now consolidated "cut and sew” technique of ROS and DIGOS (Divisione Investigazioni Generali e Operazioni Speciali, "General Investigations and Special Operations Division”, political division of the state police), and finally with an expert to analyse the video which, according to the accusation, films Beppe and Natascia before and after the purchase of the mysterious envelopes. In this regard, it is interesting to note that, according to the prosecution, the shop where Beppe and Natascia entered that day was the only one selling that particular type of envelope in the whole area of Genoa and its surroundings (i.e. the only areas where such checks were carried out). Obviously, a search by the lawyers was enough to find that the same identical envelopes were also sold in another shop in Genoa, and what’s more, at the exact same price indicated in pencil above. As if that were not enough, again thanks to the lawyers’ cross-examinations, it also came to light that the ROS were already aware of this "detail”. A "detail” that they deliberately omitted in order to reinforce the prosecution’s fabricated and fanciful house of cards.

During the hearing on July 1, Natascia made a statement about her hunger strike and the condition she is experiencing in Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison, which in fact prevents her from being able to see her lawyer and her loved ones.

On July 2 there was a final statement by all three accused comrades.

The court postponed the closure of the preliminary investigation until September 20, the date on which the prosecutor’s and civil plaintiff’s arguments will probably take place, with the related indictment and request for conviction.

September 27 and 28 will be two days entirely dedicated to the defence, October 19 is the last hearing for possible replies, and then the date for the sentence will have to be fixed.

In the meantime, Natascia and Beppe are still locked up in prison for over two years. Natascia has been on hunger strike for 20 days, determined not to eat another bite as long as she remains in the infamous Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison. The same infamous place – the protagonist of the news of these days [in Italy] – where the heavy beating of April 2020 took place in retaliation against a protest of the prisoners. The same slaughter of which mass media and institutions seem to notice only in these days, but that we know it has always been happening systematically, in every prison, in every barracks, in every police station.

All our hate for those who try to bury our comrades in a cell.

At Natascia’s side, on hunger strike for 20 days, fighting against her second transfer to the prison of Santa Maria Capua Vetere.

At the side of Beppe and Robert, of all the imprisoned comrades and all the prisoners in struggle.

To write to Natascia:

Natascia Savio
C. C. 'F. Uccella'
S. S. 7 bis – via Appia, km 6,500
81055 Santa Maria Capua Vetere (CE)
Italia – Italy

To write to Beppe:

Giuseppe Bruna
C. C. di Bologna 'Dozza'
via del Gomito 2
40127 Bologna
Italia – Italy

To support Natascia and Beppe financially and to contribute to the legal expenses:

Postepay evolution card n. 5333 1710 9103 5440
Account holder: Vanessa Ferrara
IBAN: IT89U3608105138251086351095
BIC/SWIFT: PPAYITR1XXX

Postepay evolution card n. 5333 1710 8931 9699
Account holder: Ilaria Benedetta Pasini
IBAN: IT43K3608105138213368613377

Note: You can read previous updates of the last years on the Operation Prometeo and the ongoing trial in Genoa (the texts are in both Italian and English): https://malacoda.noblogs.org/post/tag/operazione-prometeo/

Operation Bialystok: Flavia, Roberto, Nico & Francesca Released From Prison

16/03/21

On Friday, March 12, 2021, nine months after the arrests of Bialystok repressive operation, Flavia, Robi and Nico were released from prison on conditional bail (remain in their local municpality and night-time curfew) - the release took place following the motion made to the judges in the assize court on February 25.

On March 15, Francesca was also released without any measures, following the motion made on March 4 (after the re-examination court). No request was made for Claudio or Daniele (who is under house arrest), whose measures remain unchanged for now.

To write to Claudio:

Claudio Zaccone,
C. C. di Siracusa,
strada Monasteri 20,
96014 Cavadonna (SR),
Italia – Italy.

The 14 Year Old Minecraft "Terrorists" Of Russia

04/03/21

Kansk is a city with a population of 90 000 in Siberia, Russia. The closest city with a million inhabitants is Krasnoyarsk, 250 kilometers westwards. Two boys, who turned 15 years old last year, Nikita Uvarov and Denis Mikhaylenko, have been in jail since last summer, accused of plotting a terrorist attack. According to the charges, they were, among other things, planning to build the headquarters of the Russian security service FSB in Minecraft, and to blow it up there. During the Soviet Era, the FSB had different names, the last before the disintegration of the Soviet union being FSB.

Nikita and Denis were arrested after they spread posters demanding the release of anarchist and mathematician Azat Miftakhov, arrested in Moscow. One of the posters was posted on the local FSB building in Kansk. Denis and Nikita were also planning to organise a Food Not Bombs-event in Kansk, to give food to the homeless.

Nikita and Denis were already arrested in June in 2020, but information about the case only started being spread in November 2020, when 'Novaya Gazeta' and online media platform Baza published articles about the case. This article is mostly based on an article by Evgeniya Tamarchenko, published in 'The Insider' online media platform in January 2021.

Nikita and Denis have known each other since kindergarten. Bogdan Andreev was also arrested at the same time. He is studying in a parallel class, and all three became friends with each other during junior high. Bogdan is currently under house arrest, and is not allowed to use phone or Internet.

All three are charged with "Studying in order to carry out a terrorist attack", and "Membership and founding of a terrorist organisation". Besides playing Minecraft and putting up posters, the three were preparing small fireworks and discussing means to struggle against the current regime in Russia. With these charges, adults would spend in prison at least 15 years, up to a jail sentence. Because Denis, Nikita and Bogdan are underage, maximum sentence is 10 years in prison.

Investigators were tactically lying and manipulating Denis and Bogdan in order for to get them to admit to preparing a terrorist attack, for example by promising that they would not be charged with a terrorist attack if they confessed the charges. This promise was of course broken. Nikita did not confess to anything, but he also does not accuse Denis and Bogdan. Nikita believes that main responsibility is on the investigators, who manipulated Denis and Bogdan to give a testimony against him.

In Russia, the lower limit for criminal responsibility is 14 years old. In the Krasnoyarsk region, the FSB has arrested several 14 year olds in the year soon after their birthdays. They have often been followed for months before imprisonment. In two cases, children had discussed high school shootings. The Kansk case is different from those interested of school shootings, as it is related to political activism.

Nikita's mother believes that the arrest of her son is also due to his teacher's attitude. In October 2019 Nikita's mother was invited to a school to a discussion, where she was told that Nikita is interested in anarchism, and is watching a TV series about anarchist Cossack Nestor Makhno. The teacher mentioned that "perhaps they are preparing a terrorist attack" and "we must get this under control". Back then, Nikita was just laughing at the discussion.

At the request of prosecutor, Nikita's teacher, Sofia Polychuk wrote a negative personal statement about Nikita's character, which was used as a basis for his remand. The school's social worker would have written a positive characterization about Nikita, but she was banned by the principal. The remand decision cites that "according to the school's principal, Nikita considers school a hostile environment, he does not react adequately to his teachers' instructions, does not develop mutual understanding, refuses to follow the norms and rules of society." According to Nikita's lawyer, school workers may be key witnesses on the side of the prosecution in the upcoming court case.

According to Nikita's mother, conflicts at school started approximately one year before the arrest. Teachers could not accept that eighth graders would have their own opinions. For example, once English teacher asked the class which is the highest building in the world, Nikita answered that it is Burj Khalifa in Dubai (which is correct answer). The teacher did not accept the answer, Nikita attempted to prove his point, but the teacher just shut him up.

The arrest of oppositional figurehead Alexei Navalny has gained lots of attention abroad, but there are hundreds of political prisoners in Russia, and they are getting younger and younger. Less known political prisoners also need support, and currently there is a support campaign being organised for the Minecraft-prisoners of Kansk.

The support campaign website kanskdelo.com currently only has updates in Russian, but in the future it will also host materials in English.

You can write to Nikita and Denis in prison, but in remand imprisonment, there is heavy censorship, and it is better to avoid overtly political themes. Letters must be in Russian, but with Google translate it is often possible to make understandable translations. In case you do not trust machine translations, you can send for example photographs or drawings.

Uvarov Nikita Andreevich, 2005 g.r. SIZO-5 ul. Kaytymskaya 122, g. Kansk 663600 Krasnoyarskiy Kray Russia

Mikhaylenko Denis Sergeevich, 2005 g.r. SIZO-5 ul. Kaytymskaya 122, g. Kansk 663600 Krasnoyarskiy Kray Russia

You may also donate for the prisoners via Paypal of ABC Moscow, [email protected]. If you want to donate to Nikita and Denis via this paypal, it is obligatory to include message "for Minecraft case". Otherwise it is impossible to know purpose of your donation. 

This post is available as a podcast:
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Nz...
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/arautiainen/the-14-year-old-minecraft-terrorists-of-russia
And as a video: https://youtu.be/mSiWmqlI6Lw

Solidarity For The 8 Persecuted Students Of AUEB

16/01/21

Eight students, members of the self organised , occupied, students’ center of Athens University of Economics and Business are facing severe charges including formation of and participation in a criminal organisation, charges fabricated under a state police scheme which is backed by the university rector council. Confirming the loose file, authorities fail to detain the eight comrades - due to lack of sufficient evidence - but impose 3,000€ bail for each of the four, along with mandatory report of presence at police stations once a month, while the remaining four are left completely free until the trial.

Help fund the bail costs for the persecuted students: www.firefund.net/s8a

Call For Financial Support For Operazione 'Bialystok' Defendants

06/12/20

On the morning of June 12, 2020, the Special Operational Group of the Carabinieri staged yet another anti-terrorist operation against anarchists and anarchists in Italy by the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Five anarchists end up in the dungeons of the state and initially two were placed under house arrest – one has since had their restrictions lifted. Among the accusations made against them are the usual «subversive association with the purpose of terrorism» and «incitement to commit crimes» in connection with investigations into the explosive device attack on the Carabinieri barracks of San Giovanni in Rome [December 7, 2017], the burning of several ENI-Enjoy car-sharing cars [February 28, 2019], meetings under the walls of various prisons, and the organisation of debates, assemblies and benefit concerts.

Once again the goal of power is to strike those who claim solidarity as an offensive practice and actively support their comrades locked in state prisons. After more than five months of imprisonment in the sections of «Alta Sorveglianza 2» (High Surveillance 2), three months of isolation, censored and confiscated mail, interrupted interviews and replaced by video interviews and short phone calls, our comrades will face the beginning of this trial, probably in video conference, on December 14, 2020. This is why we feel we are making an appeal, more urgent than ever these days, to solidarity, the same solidarity that they would like to put on trial, to those who are in the midst of power.

Solidarity that we feel is complicit and multiform. That we believe is a direct attack on those who would like to be overcome by resignation. Unfortunately, the support is also made up of money, to allow the defence to be able to respond to the various expert opinions of the prosecution through expert advice. It is now evident that the repressive apparatus is refining the use of techno-scientific instruments to substantiate its accusatory systems.

If in recent and past trials the use of DNA traces has been the unavoidable queen of evidence, we are also witnessing in this trial an attempt to introduce the validity of new instruments into biometric evidence. We believe it is important, as comrades, to equip ourselves with all the tools in our possession to counter the new accusatory practice that is making jurisprudence on the skin of our comrades.

We invite, therefore, all those individuals and collectives to support our comrades as they deem appropriate, even, if possible, on an economic level, through the solidarity fund of operation 'Bialystok'.

Remembering below the IBAN of the account to which it is possible to send the economic contribution:

IBAN code: IT40B3608105138206892206896
Account-holder: Pietro Rosetti
SWIFT/BIC code: BPPIITRRXXX

We reaffirm here the importance of complicity, closeness to the prisoners through correspondence and above all in the continuity of the struggles of which they continue to be part!

They would like to bury us, but they do not know that we are seeds.
For the flowering of subversion.
For Anarchy.

You can write to the operation 'Bialystok' prisoners of here:

Claudio Zaccone
C. C. di Siracusa
strada Monasteri 20/C
contrada Cavadonna
96014 Floridia (SR)
Italia — Italy

Flavia Digiannantonio
C. C. di Roma Rebibbia femminile
via Bartolo Longo 92
00156 Roma
Italia — Italy

Nico Aurigemma
C. C. di Terni
strada delle Campore 32
05100 Terni (TR)
Italia — Italy

Francesca Cerrone
C. C. di Latina, sezione femminile
via Aspromonte 100
04100 Latina (LT)
Italia — Italy

Roberto Cropo
C. C. di Alessandria «S. Michele»
strada statale per Casale 50/A
15121 Alessandria
Italia — Italy.

[source]

Sentences In The Scripta Manent’s Appeal Trial

26/11/20

On November 24, 2020 in the bunker room of the prison Le Vallette in Turin was issued the sentence of appeal against 23 anarchists accused in the 'Scripta Manent' trial. Of the comrades convicted during the first trial, the sentence was as follows:

— Anna Beniamino: 16 years and 6 months (first trial: 17 years).
— Alfredo Cospito: 20 years (as in the first trial), in continuation with the sentence of cassation at 9 years, 5 months and 10 days of the trial for the action against Adinolfi.
— Nicola Gai: 1 year and 1 month (first trial: 9 years), in continuation with the sentence of cassation at 8 years, 8 months and 20 days of the trial for the action against Adinolfi.
— Alessandro Mercogliano: acquitted of all charges (first trial: 5 years).
— Marco Bisesti: acquitted from the charge of "subversive association with the purpose of terrorism and subversion of the democratic order" (first trial: 5 years), but sentenced to 1 year and 9 months for "incitement to commit crimes" in relation to embership of 'Croce Nera Anarchica' (Anarchist Black Cross).

The sentence for "subversive association with the purpose of terrorism and subversion of the democratic order" has been confirmed for Anna Beniamino, Alfredo Cospito and Nicola Gai.

Comrades Nicola Gai, Alessandro Mercogliano and Marco Bisesti have been released.

Unlike the first trial, nine other convictions were also issued to nine different comrades for "incitement to commit crimes", which were related, for various reasons, to the publication of 'Croce Nera Anarchica', an anarchist periodic magazine and internet site, and the management of some internet sites that had been charged in the trial. These sentences vary between 2 years and 6 months and 1 year and 6 months. As said, in addition to these sentences, Marco was also sentenced for "incitement".

In addition to Alessandro, nine other anarchist comrades were acquitted of all charges, including a comrade in prison since September 6, 2016 and released with acquittal in the first degree on April 24, 2019, and a comrade in prison and then under house arrest during the same period, also released with acquittal in the first degree. The other comrades were free.

[source]

Our Comrade Andreas Is Dying…

02/07/20

... and everyone is standing by watching. What has been happening to Andreas Krebs in jail in Naples for at least a year is something that both the German and the Italian states are directly responsible for. In spite of his poor health, Andreas has been denied adequate medical care despite promises to the contrary by the hospital management. All the '"treatment" that he is being provided with is the occasional trip to a hospital for questionable or senseless examinations and then he is dumped back in prison.

Andreas was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago and it has spread all over his body. Since then his condition has seriously deteriorated: he is in constant unspeakable pain, can hardly walk anymore, is only able to eat baby food, regularly bleeds from nose and mouth... and is often unconscious for days. His Italian lawyer is fighting against his continued incarceration at all levels, but transfer to house arrest has now been refused.

Andreas is doing very badly, suicide – which he has recently been talking about and has previously attempted – still seems to be the only way out for him in the current situation.

Both the Italian and the German authorities know Andreas' state of health. Yet nobody lifts a finger, fundamental human rights do not seem to apply to prisoners. What is happening here is murder. And every suicide in jail is just that, because behind bars there are no free decisions.

We however cannot stand by and watch. We need to act NOW!

Confront the German and Italian authorities about their inactivity; call your local German and Italian Embassies and Consulates.

Contact the prison:

Phone: +39 081 702 1414
Email: [email protected]

Prison Comandante: Giulia Russo
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +39 081 702 1414

Let Andreas spend his last days in peace and the company of his partner Jutta!

Andreas' address is:
Andreas Krebs
Sez. 1 Stz.1
Sez. Mediterraneo (CASA CIRCONDARIALE SECONDIGLIANO)
Via Roma Verso Scampia, 250,
Cap 80144 Napoli (NA),
Italy.

In addition, the two are happy to receive donations to pay the legal fees, living costs in prison, etc. The account is:

Recipient: Cancer
IBAN: DE 90 1005 0000 1067 1474 26
BIC: BELADE BEXXX Purpose
: Donation / Andreas Krebs

You can read more about the history of Andreas and current developments here:
https://andreaskrebs.blackblogs.org/
And also at:
https://prisonersolidarity.com/prisoner/andreas-krebs

[source]

Operation 'Bialystok': Seven Anarchists Arrested In Italy, Spain & France

22/06/20

In the latest anti-anarchist repression, at dawn on June 12, 2020, anti-terrorist police in Italy, France and Spain raided several houses, seizing materials and arresting seven people, five of them are in jail and two under house arrest.

Addresses of the anarchists currently in prison:

Nico Aurigemma
C. C. di Rieti
viale Maestri del Lavoro 2/C
02100 Rieti
Italy.

Claudio Zaccone
C. C. di Siracusa
strada Monasteri 20/C
Contrada Cavadonna
96100 Siracusa
Italy.

Flavia Digiannantonio
C. C. di Roma Rebibbia femminile
via Bartolo Longo 72
00156 Roma
Italy.

Francesca Cerrone
C. P. de Almeria — El Acebuche CTRA
Cuevas-ubeda, km 2,5
04030 Almèria
España.

Roberto Cropo
N. d’écrou: 1010197
Centre pénitentiaire de Fresnes
1, Allée des thuyas
94261 Fresnes
France.

Russia: Anarchist Defendants In 'Network' Case Sentenced To Prison

22/06/20

A military court in St. Petersburg sentenced two more anarchist defendants in the ongoing 'Network' case to prison today. Viktor Filinkov received a verdict of 7 years and Yuly Boyarshinov 5.5 years in a penal colony. The judge also ordered the evidence in the case to be destroyed.

Filinkov and Boyarshinov were arrested by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in January 2018. Following the arrests, Filinkov was tortured during investigation in order to extract a confession of him. FSB officers were also threatening to worsen Boyarshinov’s prison conditions should he not cooperate with the investigation. He was subsequently moved to a cell with 150 other prisoners.

The two were accused of "terrorist activity". According to the prosecutor, they partook in "nurturing plans for revolutionary activity", "preparations for guerrilla warfare", "the division of the Russian Federation into separate communes", "committing arson", "an intolerant attitude to representatives of law enforcement agencies". During the trial, Filinkov pleaded not guilty, while Boyarshinov chose to enter a guilty plea.

Supporters of Filinkov and Boyarshinov gathered both outside and inside the court today to show solidarity. Chants of "freedom to political prisoners" and "antifascism is not terrorism" were heard in the courtroom during the verdict reading. Several people taking part in the outside protest were detained, one after he chained himself to a fence and lit a flare. Yana Sakhipova, the wife of Boyarshinov, was detained inside the court.

возле суда задержан Павел Грисевич. парень приковал себя к забору и разжёг дымовуху pic.twitter.com/TIqUd4FiK4

— Артем Гончаренко (@pachka_soup) June 22, 2020

Earlier this year, seven Russian anarchists also accused of participation in the 'Network' group were sentenced for terrorist offences to a total of 86 years imprisonment. The accusations have been widely criticised as fabricated and absurd.

---

We encourage support and solidarity for the antifascists and anarchists who have been tortured and imprisoned by the FSB. Here is how you can help:

• Donate money to the Anarchist Black Cross in Moscow via PayPal ([email protected]). Make sure to specify your donation is earmarked for "Rupression".
• Spread the word about the Network Case aka the Penza-Petersburg "terrorism" case. You can find more information about the case and in-depth articles translated into English on this website (see below), rupression.com
• Organise solidarity events where you live to raise money and awareness for the plight of the tortured Penza and Petersburg antifascists. Go to the website It’s Going Down to find printable posters and flyers you can download. You can also read more about the case there.
• If you have the time and means to design, produce, and sell solidarity merchandise, please write to [email protected].
• Write letters and postcards to the prisoners. Letters and postcards must be written in Russian or translated into Russian. You can find the addresses of the prisoners here.
• Share news stories across social networks beyond Russia.
• Design a solidarity postcard that can be printed and used by others to send messages of support to the prisoners. Send your ideas to [email protected].
• Write letters of support to the prisoners’ loved ones via [email protected].
• Translate the articles and information at rupression.com and this website into languages other than Russian and English, and publish your translations on social media and your own websites and blogs.

Anarchist Giuseppe Bruna On Hunger Strike In Pavia Prison

25/05/20

Beppe who has been on hunger strike since May 11th in response to the prison's failure to move him from the section in which he is currently located. He also says that no doctor has visited him since the pandemic broke out, despite the various cases of contagion found inside the Pavia prison. He has also not received any health treatment regarding his own medical conditions. Calls to the mother, sister and partner were authorised, but under absurd restrictions.

Beppe asks that people join him in his battle for a transfer to AS2 and states that he will conduct his hunger strike to the bitter end.

Write to him at:

Giuseppe Bruna, C. C. di Pavia, Via Vigentina, 85 - CAP 27100 Pavia (PV), Italia.

Contact the prison authorities:

Direttore: Stefania D'Agostino
Comandante: Commissario Capo Angelo Napolitano
Via Vigentina, 45 - CAP 27100 Pavia (PV), Italia.
Tel: +39 0382574701
Email: [email protected]

Update On Sardinian Anarchist Prisoner Davide Delogu

25/05/20

On May 21st it was leant the prisoner who had been supporting Davide in his hunger strike protest, both of whom have been in solitary confinement since January, has broken off the protest. However, according to Davide, his comrade remains "in solidarity with me by not taking the lousy food in prison." Davide, who has spent 20 years in prison and has never bent before the full force of the Italian state, also continues to demand that the prison governor Rizzo come to his cell to explain his decisions instead of sending his minions.

The total isolation to which he has been subjected for months, the continuous renewal of the censorship, the continuous transfers, the withholding of books that are not delivered to him, his deportation from Sardinia, the new protest that he has been carrying out since May 14th ... Davide does not know if he can carry all this weight by itself. It's time for everyone to show their support.

Write to Davide at:

Davide Delogu, C. C. di Palermo Pagliarelli “Antonio Lorusso”, Piazza Pietro Cerulli, 1 - CAP 901299 Palermo (PA), Italia.

Direct your expressions of support for Davide and complaints about his continued isolation to:

Commissario Capo Giuseppe Rizzo
Piazza Pietro Cerulli, 1 - CAP 90129 - Palermo (PA), Italia.
Tel: +39 0916685456
Email: [email protected]

Italy: 'Ritrovo' Repressive Operation. Seven Anarchists Arrested

14/05/20

During the night of May 13, 2020, seven anarchists were arrested between Bologna, Milan and Tuscany, five others were required to reside in the municipality of residence and the anarchist documentation space Il Tribolo in Bologna was searched. The repressive operation, called 'Ritrovo', was coordinated by the public prosecutor Stefano Dambruoso and the Carabinieri of the ROS (Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale), who carried out the arrests and searches jointly with the provincial command of the Carabinieri of Bologna.

The seven arrested are charged with article 270bis of the penal code (subversive association with the purpose of terrorism or subversion of the democratic order), the other charges relate to articles 414 (incitement to commit a crime), 639 (defacement and soiling) and 635 (damage). One person is accused of article 423 (fire) for the incendiary attack of December 16, 2018, against some telecommunications antennas located in San Donato in Bologna and intended for the transmission of national and local television networks. On the site was left the writing "Turn off the antennas, awaken consciences. Solidarity with the anarchists detained and under surveillance."

The repressive forces affirm that the arrested anarchists are accused of having created a subversive-terrorist association having "the objective of affirming and spreading the anarchic-insurrectionalist ideology, as well as instigating, with the diffusion of propaganda material, the commission of acts of violence against the institutions." Furthermore, the public prosecutor's office of Bologna, with the help of the regime's media, underlined that the precautionary measures assume a «strategic preventive value aimed at avoiding that in any further moments of social tension, arising from the particular emergency situation [linked to the coronavirus epidemic], other moments of more general anti-State struggle campaign can take place."

These are the current addresses of the arrested comrades:

Giuseppe Caprioli
Leonardo Neri
C. R. di Alessandria "San Michele", strada statale per Casale 50/A, 15121 Alessandria, Italy.

Stefania Carolei
C. C. di Vigevano, via Gravellona 240, 27029 Vigevano (PV), Italy.

Duccio Cenni
Guido Paoletti
C. C. di Ferrara, via Arginone 327, 44122 Ferrara, Italy.

Elena Riva
Nicole Savoia
C. C. di Piacenza, strada delle Novate 65, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.

Belarus Anarchists Sentenced To 7 Years For Series Of Direct Actions

27/02/20

On February 12, 2020, Mikita Yemelyanau and Ivan Komar were found guilty of intentional destruction of property on several accounts. The activists were detained on October 20, 2019, just after an attack with a Molotov cocktail on the pre-trial detention facility in Minsk carried out in solidarity with another anarchist Dzmitry Paliyenka (who was incarcertaed there at the time) and other political prisoners in Belarus. From day one, Ivan Komar made a statement of Mikita Yemelyanau being guilty in it. He also talked about two other attacks – one similar attempt to attack the same pre-trial facility when Molotov didn’t start burning and an attack with light bulbs on the Minstk City Court as a protest against the judge who decided to hold a closed court hearing of Paliyenka’s case.

Mikita Emelyanau refused to make any statement, but some time later he talked to cops informally and confirmed his involvement in the attacks. Although Mikita said in court he planned the attacks alone and Ivan Komar didn’t know about them and was just asked to film his action, they were considered as a group and both were sentenced to 7 years of prison. The total damage made to both buildings amounts at 70 euros.

Belarusian human rights defenders issued a statement demanding reconsideration of sentences and called them political prisoners. Independent journalists and photographers also initiated an open letter in support of the activists.

ABC-Belarus has refused to support Ivan Komar because of his collaboration with the police. You can support Mikita Yemelyanau here.

New Operation Against Gabriel Pombo Da Silva And Elisa Di Bernardo

31/01/20

After about a year and a half of clandestinity, on January 25, 2020, Gabriel Pombo Da Silva was detained in Portugal under an international arrest warrant for a residual theoretical sentence of sixteen years [!], Gabriel continued to contribute to the anarchist struggle with his writings whilst in hiding. He is currently locked up in a cell of the judicial police in Porto awaiting an appearance before a judge in mid-February on his extradition to Spain will be discussed further. Gabriel is well and quite calm in spite of everything.

On the morning of January 27th, the houses of Gabriel's partner Elisa Di Bernardo’s mother, father, sister and brother-in-law were searched with the aim of seizing computer equipment. The public prosecutor’s office of Brescia issued yet another 270bis [subversive association with purpose of terrorism or subversion of the democratic order] for Elisa and Gabriel accusing them of belonging to a subversive cell with international base and support.

Delbert Africa Released After 42 Years In Prison

23/01/20

Delbert Orr Africa of the MOVE organisation was freed from prison after 42 years on January 18th! Like the other 5 members of MOVE that have been in prison since 1978, Delbert will need support to adjust to the outside world. He is 73 years old and just spent 4 decades in harsh Pennsylvania prisons.

Please donate at www.gofundme.com/f/free-delbert-orr-africa

Russian Prosecutor Demands Long Prison Sentences For 'Network' Case Defendants

30/12/19

The prosecutor in charge of the so-called 'Network' aka Penza/St Petersburg case demanded on December 26th prison time between 6 and 18 years for seven defendants:
Dmitry Pchelintsev - 18 years of the strict regime colony
Ilya Shakursky - 16 years of the strict regime colony
Andrey Chernov - 14 years of the strict regime colony
Maxim Ivankin - 13 years of the strict regime colony
Mikhail Kulkov - 10 years of the strict regime colony
Vasily Kuksov - 9 years of the general regime colony
Arman Sagynbayev - 6 years of the general regime colony
If convicted, all but two will serve their sentences in a high-security prison colony.

The Network case had begun in October 2017, when the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested six people in Penza, western Russia, accusing them of participation in a terrorist organisation "The Network". Two other Penza residents disappeared and were put on the wanted list by the FSB. They were subsequently detained in Moscow. In January 2018, two more people were arrested in the same case, and, in April that year, charges were brought against one more person.

Most of the defendants in the Network case are antifascists and anarchists. They stand accused of participating in "anarchist terrorist community" intending to use bombs to trigger "destabilisation of the political climate in the country" during the Russian presidential elections in March 2018 and the football World Cup held in the country in July that year. The Network allegedly had cells functioning in Moscow, Petersburg, Penza, and Belarus.

According to the prosecution, the "anarchist terrorist community" was set up in May 2015. After the group formation, the defendants allegedly "assigned roles among themselves and explored ways of committing crimes" in order to overthrow the Russian regime by "establishing combat groups and recruiting individuals who shared their anarchist ideology."

The activists claimed that they were tortured to extract confessions and that weapons and other incriminating materials were planted by the Russian police in their flats and cars. Despite repeated claims of torture, evidence supporting such claims, and the FSB itself describing electrocuting one of the detained activists as "professional necessity", no investigation against the FSB commenced. However, the highly anticipated trial of the accused anarchists begun in front of three judges from Volga District Military Court in April 2019, amid presence of riot cops, regular police, media and supporters.

The next court hearing, during which the defence will be heard, is scheduled for January 13, 2019.

What can you do to support the Russian antifascists and anarchists who have been tortured and imprisoned by the FSB?

Donate money to the Anarchist Black Cross via PayPal [[email protected]]. Make sure to specify your donation is earmarked for "Rupression."
Spread the word about the Network Case aka the Penza-Petersburg "terrorism" case. You can find more information about the case and in-depth articles translated into English on this website.
Organise solidarity events where you live to raise money and publicise the plight of the tortured Penza and Petersburg antifascists.
If you have the time and means to design, produce, and sell solidarity merchandise, please write to [rupression].
Write letters of support to the prisoners and their loved ones via [https://rupression.com/en/#support].

www.facebook.com/pg/rupression/

Kevan Thakrar Is The Victim Of Racist Attack In HMP Full Sutton

26/12/19

On the afternoon of December 23rd Kevan Thakrar a known racist attempted to take Kevan Thakrar's life. Kevin McCarthy stabbed Kevan more than four times while Kevan was at the food servery. He used a wooden shank. Kevan has four puncture wounds on his back and bruises and scratches after also being hit on the head. Kevin walked past two prison officers neither of whom intervened to prevent or stop the attack until Kevan turned round to defend himself. The prison failed to take him to hospital but he was treated by two nurses on the wing.

This is the second attack Kevan has experienced in HMP Full Sutton in recent months. Kevan is shaken and in need of support to demand the prison move him to a safer location and take action to stop further racist attacks on his life. Feel free to use your own words as well as the sample scripts below.

Call script:

Hello, I am calling on behalf of Kevan Thakrar who is currently in the CSC at HMP Full Sutton. Kevan was stabbed four times yesterday by a known racist prisoner. Two prison officers were present and did not act to prevent or stop the attack until Kevan turned around to protect himself. This is the second attack Kevan has experienced in HMP Full Sutton in recent months and yet he is still held in the CSC.

I am really concerned about Kevan’s safety in the CSC and I am calling to demand that he is moved out of the CSC and to a safer location immediately.

Letter template:

To –

I am writing as a concerned community member on hearing of a physical attack against Kevan Thakrar that occurred on 23rd December at HMP Full Sutton. The person who stabbed Kevan is known to have racist views.

Two prison officers were present and did not act to prevent or stop the attack until Kevan turned around to protect himself.

This is the second attack Kevan has experienced in HMP Full Sutton in recent months. Kevan has made complaints about threats of violence from known racist prisoners but no action had been taken.

I am extremely concerned about Kevan’s safety and wellbeing in the CSC. Kevan has PTSD and these acts of violence add further traumas.

The environment created in the Close Supervision Centre makes it more likely for these acts of extreme violence to occur and Kevan is at riskof further attacks there.

I am urging you to move Kevan out of the CSC and to a safer location immediately.

Yours Sincerely,

Write to Governor Gareth Sands at HMP Full Sutton or phone the prison on 01759 475100.

Email the Executive Director for High Security & Long Term Estate for HM Prison and Probation Service, Richard Vince demanding Kevan be moved from the CSC to a safer location: [email protected]

Email Sir Greg Knight, MP for East Riding: [email protected]

Keep Kevan updated with all your actions by email through emailaprisoner.com or letter to:

Kevan Thakrar, A4907AE
HMP Full Sutton
York
YO41 1PS

Vincenzo Vecchi Released From Prison In France

18/11/19

On November 15, 2019, anarchist Vincenzo Vecchi was released from the prison of Rennes. Vincenzo was arrested on August 8, this year, in France, thanks to the joint work of the French and Italian police, with the contribution of the Italian "anti-terrorism". He was wanted and fugitive from 2012 following a final sentence of about 11 years and 6 months in prison for charges (specifically, the crime of "devastation and pillage") concerning the days of revolt against the G8 in Genoa (July 2001). Two international arrest requests were issued against him by prosecutors in Genoa and Milan (the latter warrant linked to a sentence of four years in prison for participating in an anti-fascist demonstration against the Fiamma Tricolore political party in Milan, 2006).

During these months, the court of Rennes did not grant request of extradition against Vincenzo by the Italian state, judging the documents provided by the latter as insufficient or deficient. Finally, the court of appeal of Rennes, after having detected «irregularities» in the arrest warrant for the sentence issued for the days of Genoa (2001), have decided that he should be released from prison. On November 15 Vincenzo was released from prison and for the moment it should be possible fo him to stay in France.

Alexandr Kolchenko Released In Prisoner Swap

08/09/19

Alexandr 'Tundra' Kolchenko, an Ukrainian anarchist and anti-fascist activist imprisoned by the Russian administration of Crimea in 2014 on so-called "terrorism" charges, was released on September 7, 2019, in a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine.

Antifa Prisoners In Portland, Oregon

03/09/19

Two Antifa prisoners in Portland need your support. Alexander Dial was arrested following protests against the so-called Proud Boys (sic) rally in Portland, Oregon, when less than 300 far right idiots invaded the city as part of the rising tide of Trump-empowered white nationalism across the US. They were met by more than 1,000 anti-fascist counter-demonstrators in a protest organised by Rose City Antifa. Amongst the thirteen counter-protesters arrested, and now facing the most serious charges - felony riot, second-degree attempted assault and unlawful use of a weapon - is Rose City Antifa. You can write to him at:

Alexander Dial #818905,
Multnomah County Jail
11540 NE Inverness Dr.,
Portland, OR 97220, USA.

The second anti-fascist prisoner, is Gage Halupowski, 23, of Oregon City, who is charged with first-degree assault, resisting arrest, interference with an officer and attempted assault of a police officer when 300 activists protested against an alt-right Patriot Prayer rally in the city on June 29th this year. Gage can be contacted at:

Gage Halupowski #817891,
Multnomah County Jail,
11540 NE Inverness Dr.,
Portland, OR 97220, USA.

Support our Antifa comrades in the US against the concerted right-wing campaign to have Antifa classified as a domestic terrorist organisation (completely missing the point that "Antifa" is no more an "organisation" than the "Black Bloc" is).

Vincenzo Vecchi Arrested In France

13/08/19

Anarchist Vincenzo Vecchi was arrested on Thursday, August 8, 2019 in France. The arrest was carried out by the French police in cooperation with agents of the Servizio per il Contrasto dell'Estremismo e del Terrorismo Interno and of the Anti-terrorism section of the DIGOS in Milan, with the French police being able to identify the comrade after tracking his partner and young daughter to a rendezvou in the Brittany village of Saint Gravé dans le Morbhian where he had been living under the name of Vincent Papale. Against him two European arrest warrants had been issued by the prosecutors of Milan and Genoa.

Vincenzo had been "on the run" since 2012, following the final sentence of 11 years and six months that was imposed on charges of "devastation and pillage, robbery and carrying of weapons" following Black Bloc actions against the G8 summit that took place in Genoa, Italy in July 2001.

Update On Eric King's Attack And Situation

31/04/19

On Friday May 13th, the attempt by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to send Eric to the CMU or communication management unit at USP McCreary was rejected (his SMU or special management unit transfer request had been rejected 2 months prior). The BOP attempted to send him to these high security specialised prisons as a consequence for being attacked by a lieutenant and guards at FCI Florence, but we all can see it is a consequence for his continuing to speak out against the BOP and federal prison system. Communication management units are used to place prisoners in an incredibly isolated situation to severely limit communication with the outside world. These prisons are described as torture and deprivation by those who have experienced them. The special management unit is where the BOP sends the most "violent" prisoners in the federal prison system. They decided that he deserved to go to either of them though he didn’t qualify. They threw everything they could at him and it didn’t stick.

Friday May 17th, after a lieutenant and a guard expressed to Eric that he would be attacked on the yard (for being anti-fascist) he was placed in general population. Prisoners are often asked to choose between being safe and choosing not to walk a yard they will be hurt on or the punishment the prison imposes if they choose to keep themselves safe. Eric had already spent 280 days in segregation and the extra 6 months of solitary and the loss of commissary and potential visits was too heavy. Under duress, these decisions were made. The prison reinforces prison culture that you just need to take the beating, attack that is coming to you. He chose to walk the yard and accept the impending attack. He chose to walk the yard knowing this was a setup.

On Friday May 20th, Eric was called into an office by guards and again offered to accept the punishment that would be given to him if he chose to leave the yard in an attempt to avoid being attacked. To be clear, telling a prison guard that you aren’t safe because you are going to be attacked by someone is snitching. Even saying you aren’t safe without naming someone ("checking in") will put you in a position where for the rest of your sentence you cannot walk on a regular non "drop-out" yard again and is considered "dry-snitching" by some. Though they brought him into this "meeting" and asked him if he is safe and going to walk back out in the yard and verbalised they knew he wasn’t. Getting that "choice" on record that isn’t really a choice at all.

As soon as Eric informed them he would go back to the yard, the guards told him they decided to take him to the "chow hall" at a time that his unit does not eat. They took him to a caged area that a very large man was waiting in. With the guards watching this man began to question Eric about his anti-fascist tattoos and then attacked him. The whole week he was on the yard, no one asked about or noticed his tattoos; the lieutenant, on the other hand, made a big point to talk about them. Take that for what you will, but suddenly this man waiting for him was real curious about all of this. Eric doesn't remember defending himself, but it was a big blur and he was told he did. He said the guards let it happen for a bit. He estimates receiving and ducking about 20 punches. He wasn't seriously injured but did sustain significant bruising and minor injuries across his whole body. It was nowhere near the beating he received at Florence by the guards.

Eric was brought to segregation where he received a disciplinary shot for fighting. This shot coincidentally makes him eligible for the SMU again. If they choose, it could be another 4-6 months or longer waiting for this process. They held a disciplinary hearing in which he was not able to defend himself. They decided that he did indeed fight and lost 22 days of good time and 4 months of being able to purchase food for himself or other items. This is never good because the BOP only guarantees one "non-flesh" meal a day, which often contains dairy. Purchasing food is super important for him.

He still is unable to talk to or visit with his family. The phone block, as it stands, should take years of good behaviour to fall off. It’s sad that to him, getting email for a week and actual real time contact with his wife was 100% worth the beating. This says a lot about the deprivation that he has experienced.

Please send Eric some love. Mail/articles are GREATLY appreciated. He cannot receive books. The prison has specific mail guidelines that will be pasted below. PLEASE share what is going on with Eric with our community and show up for him. He needs us. In 80 days, it will have been a year that he hasn’t seen his family. No ability to call them. It’s up to us to keep him going right now. If folks want to, donate to travel/commissary, so when they are able his family can come out to see him. You can do so here:

https://supportericking.org/donate-2/

At the end of the day, a little over a week after the regional offices denied his CMU/SMU referrals, somehow he suddenly becomes eligible again. This situation was clearly orchestrated and is super concerning. The BOP is sending a message loud and clear that they will get theirs with him no matter what. This makes us fearful for Eric’s safety during the last 4 years of his sentence.

With love and rage

-EK support crew
These articles MUST be in black and white on non glossy standard weight printer paper. Letters to Eric must be typed or written in black ink on the same type of paper. No borders, pencil, coloured envelopes, no address labels and please number the pages, so he knows if something is missing.

ERIC ONLY HAS ACCESS TO 3 ENVELOPES A WEEK AND MAY BE UNABLE TO REPLY. HE WANTS FOLKS TO KNOW THAT HE WISHES HE COULD RESPOND TO EVERY LETTER AND LOOKS FORWARD TO DOING SO AGAIN.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY BOOKS as he will not receive them and there is no guarantee they will be returned.

Eric King 27090045, USP MCCREARY, P.O. BOX 3000, PINE KNOT, KY 42635, USA.

[source]

MOVE Member Debbie Africa Released

19/06/18

In the early morning of June 16, after nearly 40 years of unjust imprisonment by the state of Pennsylvania, political prisoner and MOVE 9 member Debbie Sims Africa was granted parole and released from the State Correctional Institution-Cambridge Springs.

This important victory comes exactly two years after Debbie, Janet and Janine Africa were last denied parole in 2016. Two MOVE members, Phil and Merle Africa, have died in prison, causes unexplained. Other surviving MOVE members, including Eddie, Mike Sr., Delbert and Chuck Africa have been repeatedly denied parole since 2008, when they first became eligible under the 30-to-100-year sentences imposed after a police officer was killed during a raid on their home.

The Fraternal Order of Police, with members on the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, has consistently pushed for parole denials, claiming that MOVE members "refused to accept responsibility," "lacked remorse" or posed a "risk to the community."

Debbie Africa's son, Mike Africa Jr., noted: "They don't really want to be so quick to let people who are accused of killing a cop on parole. … [T]he parole board seems to be retrying them, asking them questions about the incident that seem to have nothing to do with the years they've spent. It's supposed to be, "Have you been rehabilitated and can you be a member of a society and a productive citizen?" The case has nothing to do with it."

[source]

Victory On The 44 Day Of Hunger Strike!

09/05/18

Osman Evcan gained the victory from the determined struggle which he put his life against the state inside the thick walls of prison which he is enclosed. Osman , got everything he demanded through this hard period without surrendering to the state.

Evcan has been taken from the one-person cell, where he has been kept for two years, to another room and has been allowed to use his right to do sports and engage in conversation. Evcan will also be provided with a vegan menu. He fainted yesterday and was taken to the medical room. After Evcan rejected treatment at the medical room, his requests were accepted by the prison administration.

Osman Evcan ended his indefinite hunger strike which took 44 days against intimidation, torture and extermination politics against prisoners and again he proved us that how he is right about his call to raise struggle. He continued his resistance resolutely by choosing to die with honor is the only reason why he’s demands are excepted.

He is grateful to everyone who have held demonstrations, spoken up, and support for Osman Evcan’s cause. Osman Evcan is now trying to get over the adverse effects of the hunger strike process, and his present health condition is fine. We will share the message from Osman Evcan soon.

With anarchist solidarity

ABC İstanbul

Tasos Theofilou Facing A Third Trial

05/04/18

Tasos Theofilou, a Greek anarchist communist, had originally been sentenced to 25 years in prison in connection with an armed robbery in Paros on August 10, 2012, during which a taxi driver, Dimitri Micha, was killed. On February 7, 2014, Tasos was found guilty of two felony charges: participating in a robbery with his physical characteristics covered, and being an abettor in manslaughter committed in a calm mental state. He was also convicted of three misdemeanours: carrying a firearm, forgery (accusation relating to vehicles of the robbers), and accepting the proceeds of crime (the getaway car of the robbers). However, he was found not guilty of membership of a terrorist organisation (namely Conspiracy of Cells of Fire/Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei), possession of explosives and ordnance, forgery of five identification cards, use of a firearm, and two attempted homicides. The tribunal sentenced him to 25 years in prison.

The majority verdicts of the tribunal (i.e. 2-1 verdicts) were based solely on a single piece of 'evidence', DNA from a hair allegedly found on a hat that had supposedly been dropped by the fleeing robbers. None of the eye witnesses recognised Theofilou and the court itself found that he was not a member of the organisation that prosecutors accused of having been involved in the robbery i.e. C.C.F.

The prosecution appealed the not guilty verdicts and, after five years in prison, at his second trial on July 7, 2017, Tasos Theofilou was found not guilty on all counts on a 3-2 majority by an appeal court in Athens. Now the vice prosecutor of the supreme court has appealed against the aquittal decision of the Appeal Court and Tasos stands to be tried on the same charges for a third time!

The interesting thing is that this prosecutor was recently promoted to the Supreme Court. Before that he was the supervising prosecutor of the counter-terrorism squad. These people are trying to revenge the movement because their contrivance was revealed with Tasos' acquittal. There's been a crusade against anarchists in Greece since 2008 and in this so many people have been prosecuted like witches.

The following is a text written by Tasos.

Regarding the appeal lodged against the acquittal decision:

"In Athens today, 27th of March 2018, Tuesday 2pm, at the Public Prosecutor's office at the Supreme Court of Greece, the Deputy Prosecutor at the Supreme Court Ioannis Aggelis called me, the secretary of the Criminal Division Georgios Sofroniades, and stated that: he lodges an appeal before the Supreme Court of Greece, in accordance with the article 505, par. 2 of the Criminal Procedure Code, against the 2186/2017 (2938/16, 3303/16, 518/17, 565/17, 580/17) acquittal decision of the A' five-member Felony Appeal Court of Athens, whereof the accused Anastasios Theofilou was declared innocent".

That's the beginning of no. 21/2018 appeal statement, with which the prosecutor Mr. Ioannis Aggelis demands the annulment of the decision of the A' five-member Appeal Court of Athens, which acquitted me of all charges, and my remand to a new trial with different judges. The prosecutor Mr. Ioannis Aggelis was promoted to the position of Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Court. Until then, he was the supervising prosecutor of the "counter-terrorism squad".

On the 11th of May, the appeal will be examined by a plenary session of the Supreme Court. If accepted, this means that I return to prison with the initial charges until the trial is repeated at the Appeal Court with different judges, given that the majority of the A' five-member court which acquitted me seems not to be to the liking of the "counter-terrorism squad".

As much as the "counter-terrorism squad" and its surrounding circle of manipulated judges seem to have grown a somewhat obsessive dedication to my face, my case remains a case that is not at all personal. It's a political one and pertains to the oppressive grip on the anarchist and the wider combative movement as well as our class as a whole. It's political since all the spearheads of this oppression were revealed socially and brought before social judgement, especially those related to the terror-law, the metaphysical use of DNA samples and the criminalisation of social and political relationships. It's political because it gave prominence to the power and the social influence of the movement; because it proved that the "counter-terrorism squad" and the judicial circles it manipulates are, if uncontrollable, yet not omnipotent. And that's what needs to be proved once again on the 11th of May.

PS: As once written by a comrade inside the prison of Grevena: "Patience. Strength. Faith in the case. We are in the right. That's all."

Tasos Theofilou

Herman Bell Finally Released

29/04/18

On Friday, April 27, Herman Bell, a 70-year-old respected elder, was released after serving nearly 45 years in prison. Herman was one of thousands of incarcerated older people who was repeatedly denied parole for over a decade after completing his minimum sentence. His release is a result of important and urgent changes in the criminal legal system and parole regulations that are part of nationwide efforts to end mass incarceration. Let us hope that Herman’s release brings inspiration for more change. Herman is deeply humbled and grateful for the broad expressions of trust and support, but out of respect for the feelings of the victims’ families, he will not be making any public statements. We welcome him home.

Herman Bell Granted Parole

14/03/18

In a message from Herman Bell's family posted today, it was confirmed that: "A respected elder, Herman Bell, was granted parole as of April 17, 2018, having met all the criteria for release according to his sentence. The parole commissioners recognised his progress after serving nearly 45 years in prison and granted his parole application. He is looking forward to being reunited with his family and friends. We welcome him home."

Anti-Police Prisoner In Belarus Needs Donations & Solidarity

09/02/18

Svyatoslav Baranovich is an active resident of Minsk who will be tried on February 15, 2018 for trying to prevent the detention of anarchists last March. On March 15, 2017 a group of anarchists joined the march against the tax on unemployment. At the end of the demonstration, plain-cloth police tried to detain a few activists when the bloc was hopping on a trolley-bus. Ordinary people who stood nearby started pushing with cops trying to not let them make arrests. Svyatoslav Baranovich was one of them. The cops’ attack was successfully repelled, but a few stops later all anarchists were detained in the same trolley. You might have heard of the story of violent detentions and arrests of 15 days for all activists.
Just some time ago we learnt that Svyatoslav was arrested on October 3, 2017 and accused of using violence against a policeman. His trial has been set for February 15 and he is facing up to 6 years of imprisonment. It’s also known that he has been participating in the protests against elections in 2010, where he got into a fight with SWAT officers who were attacking protesters. He received 3 years of house arrest for that because at that point Belarus was put under sanctions and Lukashenko had to set free many politicals or change the punishment to a milder one.
Today we are calling you to support this antipolice person who got in trouble showing solidarity with anarchists. We don’t know anything about his politics, but this is enough for us to support him. We call you to end him greetings and donate to pay for his lawyer and food parcels.

See the donation options and his address here:
https://abc-belarus.org/?p=11358&lang=en

Updates On The Repression In St. Petersburg & Other Russian Cities

31/01/18

ABC St. Petersburg have posted a series of updates on the situation concerning the on-going repression of anarchists on trumped-up charges of alleged involvement in a "terrorist network" whose members "profess[ed] the anarchist ideology", together with an appeal for financial support for the anarchist and antifa prisoners who have recently been arrested in St. Petersburg and Penza.

https://avtonom.org/en/news/airsoft-penza-terrorism-case

https://avtonom.org/en/news/support-anarchist-and-antifa-prisoners-stpetersburg

These news items, together with more posts from ABC groups and other anarchist, anti-fascist and class struggle prisoner related news from around the world, can be also be found on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/abcbrighton/

News Of Repression In St. Petersburg & Other Russian Cities

27/01/18

Statement By St. Petersburg ABC On Their FB Page:

In anticipation of the elections, the authorities have once again activated the repressive machinery that operates against activists. Over a few days our comrades were abducted by special services and tortured, activists' apartments were searched, and many were interrogated. Acting against their own laws, the FSS (Federal Security Service) is once again trying to beat the evidence out of our comrades and fabricate more criminal cases, unembarrassed at using electroshock weapons, threatening physical violence and forcing them to memorise texts that will later support their convictions. Anarchism is equated with terrorism, witnesses become accused persons, and activists become dangerous criminals. The case, which began in Penza in the fall of 2017, leads to the repression in St. Petersburg in January 2018. In this situation, we need attention, support for each other and solidarity. Several comrades required advocates whose services are not cheap. The Anarchist Black Cross is collecting funds to support the victims of the latest wave of state arbitrariness.

This is the situation with the detention of a certain terrorist community in St. Petersburg.

According to the investigators, the unidentified persons, "share the anarchist ideology", belong to a division of the terrorist community, which set itself the goal of terrorist activities, propaganda and the justification of terrorism.

Both Victor Filinkov and Igor Shishkin will spend about 2 months (until March 23, 2018) in the FSS (Federal Security Service) custody detention centre, where the secret services beat testimonies under torture out of suspects.

Two (or by some accounts, 3 apartments) were searched, followed by the taking away equipment, and those present in the flats were interrogated. Two people are targeted in the investigation as witnesses: Ilya Kapustin and Alexey R. They were tortured during interrogations. After interrogation Alexei asked for medical help. Ilya documented the beatings and he is planning to file a complaint of torture to the Investigation Committee.

According to unverified information, there may be a further one or two people who were detained / interrogated. It is difficult to find any more information, because they could have fled following torture, fearing for their lives or being detained again.

All these "investigative actions", beating testimony (out of suspects) occurs within the framework of the case under article 205.4 part 2 of the Criminal Code (participation in the terrorist community) at the request of the court from Penza. Interrogations take place according to this scheme:

Ilya Kapustin:
"When I did not know the answers to some questions, for example, when I did not understand who or what I was being asked about, they beat me with an electroshock weapon to the groin area or on the side of my stomach. They beat me with it making me to say that this or that friend of mine is going to arrange something dangerous."

Victor Filinkov:
"They took me out of town, beaten, shocked with an electroshock weapon, demanding that I confess. I’ve answered that there is nothing to confess, then they forced me to memorise a "confession", they made me repeat it several times, then I was taken to the investigator ..."

Paypal: [email protected]

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The following a rough translation from an OVD-Info article:

Russian Anti-fascist Arrested In Connect With A Terrorism Case, Complains Of Torture

Antifascist Viktor Filinkov, accused of participation in the terrorist community, was tortured. This is the conclusion of the Public Monitoring Commission of St. Petersburg (an organisation monitoring human rights in detention facilities), which visited the young man in SIZO-3 (detention centre). The conclusion is available at the editors of OVD-Info/ОВД-Инфо.
Commission members recorded numerous traces of burns from a Taser in the chest area, as well as across the entire surface of the right thigh and heamatomas on the right ankle. According to Filinkov, he had received these injuries on January 24 in a car (blue Volkswagen), in which he was placed by FSB officers after being detained at the Pulkovo airport. From there he was taken to the police department of the Krasnogvardeysky district, and then to hospital No. 26.
From the hospital, Filinkov was taken into the forests, where masked people beat him for five hours. During the beating, FSB officers demanded from Filinkov to confess. After he agreed, they forced him to learn precise formulations. Filinkov was threatened that this beating to be "an easy version of what will happen next" if he refused. This words of the activist mentioned in the conclusion of the Public Monitoring Commission (PMC). Masked people were saying only "Stay quiet!" and "Don't yell!".
Filinkov wrote explanatory notes to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (police) and the FSB, where he gave the learned "testimonies". As stated in the commission's document, the young man was threatened if he retract this testimony, he will be placed in a cell with prisoners suffer from tuberculosis.
Then Filinkov was transferred to another car - Lada Priora - and delivered to the Regional Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As explained by arrested activist, the people in masks were well-acquainted with the building, and discussed that they "need to close their face, because of video-cameras".
After this, he was taken to search of apartment where he lived with his neighbour. The neighbour was also threatened, that "everything will be all right" if he tells "what he knows". Filinkov has very noticeable red handcuff marks on his hands, stated in the conclusion of the PMC members. Blood was wiped off of the beaten activist with snow and his hat, which remained with the young man. Members of the PMC noted blood traces from the hat on the interview notes.

• On January 23, Viktor Filinkov disappeared on his way to the Pulkovo airport. His wife suspected that he could be detained by secret services. A few months ago, they thought they were being watched.
• On January 25, the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg arrested Filinkov for two months. He is suspected of participation in the terrorist community (Part 2 of Article 205.4 of the Criminal Code). According to the investigation, "Filinkov and other unidentified persons, sharing the anarchist ideology, took part in the division of the terrorist community in order to carry out terrorist activities, propaganda, justification and support of terrorism." The report says that the left activist made confessions.

[source]