WORLD WORLDWIDE CZECH News Journal Update - (en) Czech, AFED: The solidarity zone continues (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 As part of the International Week of Solidarity with Anarchist

Prisoners, we are reporting on an activity to support anti-war activists
in Russia. ---- Last October, we presented the Solidarity Zone
initiative, which is dedicated to supporting people who are being
prosecuted in Russia for their anti-war activities - for actions they
used to symbolically condemn Putin's bloody campaign against Ukraine or
practically undermine the machinery of this imperial aggression. In
contrast to the Anarchist Black Cross groups with which it is in
contact, it also focuses on those who do not claim to be anarchists.
Activists of the Solidarity Zone write in their latest statement: "We
cannot do more. But we cannot do less." To date, the Solidarity Zone
supports 16 prisoners. These are people with an anti-war attitude who in
one way or another opposed the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army
and were arrested on charges of anti-war actions or their preparation.
Today, the Solidarity Zone is almost the only human rights project that
is ready to help people accused of burning military evacuation centers.
Other human rights activists are unwilling to support them because, by
their liberal standards, such methods of anti-war protest cannot be
called peaceful. However, this does not mean that they do not need legal
assistance, solidarity and simple human support.

In 13 cases, the Solidarity Zone pays for the work of lawyers and we
coordinate their work. It is not always easy, sometimes complex problems
need to be solved by the joint efforts of the lawyer, the prisoner and
the coordinator of the initiative. In addition, the Solidarity Zone must
be in constant contact with lawyers to receive operational information
and report on the progress of cases.

Two of the prosecuted aid recipients have no close relatives, and in
these cases the members of the Solidarity Zone try to be particularly
attentive, as it is highly likely that no one else can help these people.

In nine cases, the Solidarity Zone fully or partially takes care of
humanitarian aid to prisoners, by sending packages, replenishing
personal accounts, ordering through the FSIN store or paying transfers.

"In all cases, we try to be in contact with those we help. Also, if
possible, we publicize all these cases on our own social networks and
through other media," the activists state. About 10 people do all this
and more on a regular basis, to which they add: "We just recently
realized that our resources are stretched to the max at the moment. We
have zero free time, zero moral strength to do new things, and some of
the activists have zero means of livelihood. It is sad to say that we
will not be able to support more prisoners at this stage. Sixteen is the
limit for us at the moment. If our team expands or we find regular
funding for our activities, we will be ready to take on new challenges."

At the same time, the Solidarity Zone points out that any group of
like-minded people can create a support group for prisoners. They are
happy to provide instructions on how to run support groups for political
prisoners as well as any consultation (for example on providing
financial support) at the email address solidarity_zone@riseup.net.

Alexei Rozhkov

https://www.afed.cz/text/8004/zona-solidarity-pokracuje
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca