July 27, 2011

Why Russians do not Revolt?

Yesterday in Moscow several citizens organized a sit-down strike against prosecution of Taisia Osipova from Smolensk. The mother of 5-year old  daughter, suffering from diabetics, pancreatitis, chronic pyelonephritis and chronic toxic-allergic hepatitis, she’s being held in police custody for last 8 month for her and her husband’s political activities.

Taisia’s husband, Sergey Fomchenkov, is one of the leaders of “Drugaya Rossia” (The Other Russia – a non-registered political party, in opposition to the ruling government).


The actions supporting Taisia took place in several Russian cities on 27th July. In Moscow political activists gathered near The Solovetsky Stone, a famous monument in Lubyanka Square in Moscow (area of former KGB headquarters). The stone forming a monument was brought in 70-s from the Solovetsky Islands, the location of  famous Solovki prison camp (for political prisoners), the part of the Soviet Gulag system…

This video (all dialogues in Russian) shows how even such small and quiet strike, conducted by 7 activists only, without a single banner, is suppressed by Russian police.



Taisia Osipova was arrested and taken into custody in November, 2010, in Smolensk, after police during the search found five packs of “greyish substance” among her daughter's clothes and a marked 500-ruble note.
Ms. Taisia Osipova was later charged with illegal distribution of drugs by the Zadneprovskiy district court, in Smolensk, and she was remanded in custody pending investigation. On 3 May 2011, the court refused to release her on bail. The following hearing has been scheduled for 21 June 2011. 

“Taisia Osipova, 26 years old, who is currently detained in poor conditions in the pre-trial detention center (SIZO) 1, in Smolensk, province of Smolensk. She has been denied adequate medical treatment since her arrest on 23 November 2010, although she is suffering from multiple chronic diseases”  says an open letter to Russian president Dmitry Medvedev from  the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), the largest Network of NGOs fighting against torture.


More details on Taisia case


And some people abroad ask me – “Why Russians do not revolt?”


Photo Credit: REUTERS/Denis Sinyakov

http://www.ikd.ru/node/17240

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