In the year since the first July 25th International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners in 2015, there has been a disturbing increase of Far Right activity worldwide. Every day brings news of some new wave of reaction—in the name of nationalism and security—which demonizes refugees and immigrants, stokes hatred for Muslims, and attacks LGBTQ and other oppressed groups fighting for their liberation and their very lives.

We see Nigel Farage and UKIP in the UK, the Burmese magazine The Irrawaddy, the Front National in France, and Donald Trump in the U.S. all making the same racist claims about refugees using almost identical Far Right language. In response, anti-fascists from Poland, Thailand, Malaysia, England, Australia, Brazil, Burma, Greece, France, Sweden, the United States, and all points in between, have the same response to this bigoted garbage:

NO PASARAN!

Antifascists are on the front lines in the fight against these fascist and other Far Right nationalist nightmares. In the U.S. we have already seen a large increase in antifa arrests at increasingly confrontational demonstrations against KKK and similar rallies. Internationally, there has also been an increase in street confrontations, and unfortunately this means more repression by the State. We will not allow our comrades—surrounded by steel cages and concrete walls—to be forgotten.

The July 25 International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners originated in 2014 as the Day of Solidarity with Jock Palfreeman, an Australian man serving a 20-year sentence in Bulgaria for defending two Romani men from an attack by fascist football hooligans. In 2015, we expanded our solidarity efforts to include all antifascist prisoners across the globe. There were a variety of actions around the world: groups held benefit concerts, movie nights, talks, raffles, banner drops, letter-writings, and literature distribution on the street and at a punk festival. Others did photo-ops and videos, and issued statements of solidarity.

We call on anti-fascists worldwide to act in solidarity with antifascist prisoners! Consider having an event or dedicating an action to them. They are in there for us, and we are out here for them!

No Pasaran!

Until All Are Free!

USE THE HASHTAG: #J25antifa

TRANSLATIONS OF THE CALL AVAILABLE IN SPANISH, RUSSIAN, GERMAN, FRENCH, BAHASA INDONESIA, GREEK, FINNISH, JAPANESE, TAGALOG, SWEDISH, and DUTCH (Español, русский, français, Deutsche, Bahasa Indonesia, ελληνικά, suomalainen, 日本語, Tagalog, Svenska,

and Nederlands)

Below is a list of global antifascist prisoners. Please contact us: if you know an antifa prisoner who is missing form the list (include their details, and what languages they can read); if you can help translate the call; or if you are planning an event that, so that we can help publicize it: nycantifascistaction@gmail.com.

Note that there is a separate call for International Days of Solidarity with Russian Anarchist and Antifascist Prisoners, from July 1-10, 2016. It doesn’t matter if you want to participate in one or both calls, as long as you show your solidarity!

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««««««Global List of Antifascist Prisoners»»»»»»

(list will be updated shortly; check back soon!)



EUROPE

Belarus

Roman Bogdan

Roman Bogdan was arrested on April 15, 2015, as part of the long-going state repression of anti-fascists in Brest, stemming from a fight between anti-fascists and fascists on May 8, 2013. In October, Roman was sentenced to 8 years in a penal colony and must pay 3500 Euro in damages. On December 15, 2015 a regional appellate court commuted his sentence by 2 years.

He can read Russian and simple English phrases.

Address:

213010 Shklov

p. Molodezhnyj, IK-17, otryad 12

Mogilevskaya obl.

BELARUS

http://abc-belarus.org/?p=6153&lang=en

Vlad Lenko

Vlad Lenko is an antifascist from Ivatsevichi (Brest region). He was arrested on December 27, 2014, and accused of taking part in a fight against local neo-Nazis earlier in December. Vlad was charged with group hooliganism and aggravated bodily harm, and in September 2015 was sentenced to 6 years in a penal colony.

Supporters are trying to raise money to appeal the verdict, which they hope will reduce his sentence by half. They also need to collect 1000 Euro to pay damages ordered by the court.

Fundraising WebMoney:

$ Z418615316084

€ E146518161935

He can read Russian and simple English phrases.

Address:

Lenko Vlad Igorevich

211300 Vitebskaya obl.

Vitebskiy rajon, Vitba, IK-3

BELARUS

www.abc-belarus.org/?p=6240&lang=en

Dzmitry Stsyashenka

Dzmitry Stsyashenka was arrested on October 4, 2013, for his alleged involvement in a fight between antifascists and neo-Nazis in Brest on May 8, 2013, that sent one Nazi to the hospital. He is also accused of another fight with neo-Nazis later in the summer of 2013. He was sentenced to four years in prison, but in 2014 his term was reduced by one year due to an amnesty.

In April 2015, the case from May 2013 was reopened and Dzmitry was charged again. He was sentenced in October 2015 to another 5 years in a penal colony and ordered to pay 500 Euro in damages. In December, the regional appellate court commuted this sentence by 2 years, which is in addition to the 4 years he is already serving.

He can read Russian and simple English phrases.

Address:

213800 Bobruisk,

ul. Sikorskogo 1a, IK-2, otryad 14

Mogilevskaya obl.

BELARUS

http://abc-belarus.org/?cat=3&lang=en

Bulgaria

Jock Palfreeman

Jock Palfreeman is an Australian anti-fascist political prisoner serving a twenty-year prison sentence in Bulgaria for the rather mysterious death of a neo-Nazi football hooligan who was part of a group attacking two Romani men in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2007. Jock came to the aid of the Romani, and quickly found himself the focus of the attack. Bulgarian authorities did everything they could to ensure that Jock did not receive a fair trial, and after his sentencing have refused–in contravention of their own treaties–to transfer him to Australia to serve the rest of his time closer to his family. Jock wants donations for him sent to the Bulgarian Prisoners’ Association, which he is part of.

He can read English and Bulgarian.

Address:

Jock Palfreeman

Sofia Central Prison

21 General Stoletov Boulevard

Sofia 1309, BULGARIA

www.brightonabc.org.uk/jock.html

England

Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith was arrested on January 30, 2016 for her participation in the anti-fascist counter-protest of an anti-immigration rally called by various far-right groups in Dover, England that same day. Michelle is a single mother of two and has been attacked at her workplace, as well as threatened at home, since her arrest. She was sentenced on July 12th to 12 months in prison for throwing rocks at fascists, who enjoyed heavy police protection during the protest (and every protest).

She can read English.

Address:

If you would like to write a letter to Michelle, please message her supporters at Merseyside Anti-Fascist Network at www.facebook.com/MerseyAFN.

Russia

Aleksandr Kolchenko

Aleksandr Kolchenko was arrested in Crimea on May 17, 2014, along with several others, and accused by Russian authorities of participation in a “terrorist group” which planned explosions near the Eternal Fire memorial and the Lenin monument in Simferopol, as well as having sabotaged railway tracks and electricity lines. Aleksandr is also alleged to have carried out two arson attacks in April: against the headquarters of the Russian Unity-Party, and the Russian Community of Crimea. He was transferred to Moscow and is being kept in draconian conditions. His lawyers are under a gag order, and have been refused elementary rights to defend him. He faces fifteen-to-twenty years in a labor camp.

Russian authorities claim that Aleksandr is a member of Right Sektor, a Ukrainian ultra-right nationalist organization, but he has no connection to the group—a fact confirmed by relatives and friends. Moreover, Aleksandr is an antifascist and anarchist who consistently opposed nationalistic movements in Crimea and faced constant fascist attacks for his activism. For example, after a film screening about murdered anti-fascist journalist Anastasiya Baburova, he was attacked by thirty Nazis with knives.

Since this case is highly political, Aleksandr’s legal costs are high, around 850 euro per month. The investigation has created a heavy financial strain on local ABC groups, and there is a call for financial support and information distribution. You can make donations via PayPal to abc-msk@riseup.net or using a bank account (write to the same e-mail address for details).

Address:

Kolchenko Aleksandru Aleksandrovichu

344082

Rostov-na-Donu

Bolshaya Sadovaya str, 31

SIZO-4

RUSSIA

Please note: Moscow ABC advises that letters in English are seldom accepted in Russian prisons, so please write only in Russian (try using a translation program), or just send photos and postcards.

http://avtonom.org/en/news/repressions-against-crimean-activists-political-context

http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Aleksandr_Kolchenko

Alexey Sutuga

Alexey Sutuga is a longtime anarchist and anti-fascist who was arrested in April 5, 2014, for a fight with members of the ultra right in Moscow. He was sentenced on September 30, 2014, to three years and one month in prison for his alleged involvement in the fight.

However, this sentence comes in the context of an earlier case from April 2012, when he was arrested for allegedly taking part in a fight at a punk/hardcore concert in Moscow on December 17, 2011. The conflict began after club security, consisting of members of the far right, provoked guests. The concert was stopped prematurely because of the fight, but the security then attempted to take some of the audience hostage and threatened to call their nationalist football hooligan friends in reprisal. The audience members resisted and the club security opened fire with rubber coated metal bullets. However, the club security was neutralized and sent to the hospital. The case against Alexey and several others was eventually dropped in January 2014 on the eve of the Sochi Winter Olympics as part of the amnesty bill, approved as a PR stunt on initiative of Vladimir Putin.

Address:

Sutuga Alexey Vladimirovich 1986 g.r

Ispravitelnaya Koloniya № 2

Pervy Promyshlenniy massiv

kvartal 47

d. 6 g. Angarsk 665809

Irkutskaya oblast

RUSSIA

Please note: Moscow ABC advises that letters in English are seldom accepted in Russian prisons, so please write only in Russian (try using a translation program), or just send photos and postcards.

http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Alexey_Sutuga

Sweden

Note: The fight against fascism in Sweden is very aggressive, and many of the anti-fascists that are in prison are alleged to be involved in extremely militant activities and organizations. There are several more anti-fascists in Sweden who are currently in prison but do not want their names or addresses publicized. If you would like to write these individuals, please contact Föreningen fånggruppen.

Joel Almgren

Joel Almgren was sentenced to five years and six months for defending a local community-organized anti-racist demonstration in Stockholm against a brutal Nazi attack on December 15, 2013. The peaceful protest—against fascist assaults on local anti-racists and the dissemination of Nazi propaganda in area schools—was attacked with knives, sticks, and glass bottles by the most militant Nazi group in Sweden. Anti-fascists at the scene defended the demonstration from the attack and many were injured themselves.

Joel has over 4080 USD in fines, and his supporters are asking for help raising the money.



To donate from a non-swedish bank account:

IBAN: SE0680000832799438650120

Bic: SWEDSESS

He can read Swedish and English.

Address:

Joel Almgren

KVA Tidaholm

Skogsholmvägen

522 85 Tidaholm

SWEDEN

www.fanggruppen.com/write-to-prisoners-1/

www.facebook.com/freejoel

NORTH AMERICA

United States

Luke O’Donovan



**Update** Luke is scheduled to be released on July 25th!! We encourage everyone to donate to Luke’s post-release support fund and to check out other ways of supporting him in his release. Please see letlukego.com for more info.

On New Year’s Eve of 2013, Luke O’Donovan attended a house party in Reynoldstown, a neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia. Luke was seen dancing with and kissing other men at the party. Later in the night he was insulted with homophobic slurs, and attacked by several people at once. Luke unsuccessfully attempted to escape, at which point several witnesses reported watching between five and twelve men ganging-up on Luke and stomping on his head and body, evidently with the intent to kill him. He was called a faggot before and during the attack, throughout the course of which he and five others were stabbed. Luke was subsequently imprisoned and charged with five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon as well as one count of attempted murder.

Luke’s trial concluded on August 12, 2014, when he accepted a negotiated plea deal. He agreed to a two year sentence beginning that day, and then eight years of harsh probation. The judge also banished Luke from the state of Georgia for the term of his probation.