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Notícies :: criminalització i repressió
Appeal for continuation of work of Stanislav Markelov
16 feb 2009
Apel de solidaridad para continuación y apoyo a los casos abeiertos del abogado asesinado ruso Stanisav Markelov
Appeal for continuation of work of Stanislav Markelov

Murder of Stanislav Markelov 19th of January was a big blow against
Russian human rights community. During the decade, Stanislav was
involved in many high-profile human rights cases. Many of the people
Stanislav defended have financial problems in finding new, qualified
lawyers to do their cases. We appeal for you to contribute financially
to help them. Fundraising is coordinated by For Human Rights and by
Institute of Collective Action.

Below short summaries of cases, with whom Stanislav was working with in
time of his murder. Unfortunately papers of Stanislav were taken by
police for purposes of the investigation, and we may not guarantee, that
the list is complete - in case new cases arise during the fundraising,
we will append them to the list. Funds raised with the appeal will be
distributed evenly amongst the cases, up to full costs of a new
lawyer for individual cases. If we manage to raise funds for all the
cases, extra funds will be channeled for lawyer costs of upcoming
similar cases with those Stanislav has been working with.

Costs for each of the cases are different, but they are from 1000 euros
upwards for each of the cases.

1. Case of colonel Budanov.

Colonel Yuri Bubanov was sentenced in 2003 for charges of kidnapping,
murder and exceeding authority in office for murder of 18-year old
Chechen girl Kheda (Elza) Kungaeva in March 2000. Budanov got an early
release after serving 8.5 years in prison, Stanislav wanted to appeal
against the early release, and now we need someone else to make the
appeal. The day he was murdered, he was returning from a press
conference on Budanov case, and the week before murder he was receiving
threats from Budanov supporters. You may read more about Budanov case in
English from http://www.amnesty.org/russia/kheda_update.html

2. Case of Mikhail Beketov from Khimky

Mikhail Beketov is editor-in-chief of a local newspaper, Khimkinskaya
Pravda in Moscow region. 13th of December he was found from his garden
in coma, apparently he was assaulted the previous day. Beketov had been
writing against local expressway and against corruption of local
authorities in general. He is still in a serious condition in hospital.
Stanislav was advocate of Beketov, defending him as local authorities
sued him for libel. Now Beketov needs a new lawyer.
You may read more abouth the Beketov case in English from
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/11/24/f-rfa-szacka.html

3. Case of Mokhmadsalakh Masaev

Markelov represented Chechenyan Mokhmadsalakh Masaev, who disappeared
last August. Masaev claimed he had been tortured for four months in 2006
at a secret prison near Kadyrov's home village. Soon after giving
an interview to Novaya Gazeta, he went back to Chechnya. Nobody has seen
him since.

Masaev case is very dangerous, and we may not guarantee that we may find
a new lawyer for it, no matter how much money we are able to rise.

You may read more about the case of Masaev from
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/08/05/russia-torture-victim-abducted-che

4. Case of Zaur Musikhanov

Zaur Musikhanov was fighting two months in side of Chechen resistance in
year 2002. In October 2002 he went back to his home village and lived
openly there, there were no attempts to arrest or to interrogate him.
However in February of 2003, he heard of Amnesty for those who had
participated the resistance, and went to the authorities to confess, he
also showed where he had buried his assault rifle. However Musikhanov
did not agreed to serve in troops of Kadyrov, he was illegally denied
amnesty and he was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Markelov was
appealing for an amnesty for Musikhanov, now he needs a need lawyer.

This is less dangerous than case of Masaev, and it is likely that a new
lawyer will be found.

You may read more about the case of Musikhanov from
http://ruleoflaw.ru/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44

5. Case of police brutality in Sokolniky police station of Moscow

4th of April 2008 Police of Sokolniky police station arrested and
tortured a group of youth. This case provoked mass demonstration against
police brutality in Moscow during the spring. In order to cover the
case, police initiated a criminal process against one of the youth, who
was accused of attacking the police. Stanislav was advocate of this
young man, thus he needs a new lawyer now. And this is rather urgent -
he was invited to interrogations the next day after murder of Markelov.

More on the Sokolniky case in English:
http://www.zaprava.ru/hronica/a130.pdf

6. Case of anti-fascist Aleksey Olesinov

Aleksey Olesinov was detained and put to Butyrka prison of Moscow in
November 2008. According to materials of the investigation, police
suspects Olesinov to be leader of Antifa-movement in Moscow. However
official charge against Olesinov is "hooliganism", as Olesinov was
detained and fined after a brawl in a bar in August of 2008, although
according to witnesses Olesinov did not participated the fight.
Obviously, arrest and the whole process is illegal as Russian law does
not allow one to be punished twice for one single crime - real reason
of Olesinov's arrest is political persecution. Stanislav was lawyer of
Olesinov, and now he needs a new lawyer.

More on case of Olesinov in Russian: http://ikd.ru/node/7889

7. Case of anarchist Pavel Delidon

In March 2007, Pavel Delidon attempted to steal from his former employer
Tatyana Sbitneva his wage arrears, which Sbitneva did not wanted to pay.
Eventually Delidon got a 4.5 year prison sentence, but Sbitneva was
never charged for failure to pay wages. Markelov attempted to push
charges against Sbitneva, so that charges against Delidon could be
downgraded to "vigilantism", which carries a much shorter sentence. Now
Delidon needs a new lawyer.

More on case of Pavel Delidon in Russian: http://www.ikd.ru/node/3049

8. Case of dormitory at Yasniy Proezd 19

Dormitory at Yastniy Proezd 19 in Moscow has few floors inhabited by
refugees from conflict refugees of Caucasus, mainly Georgians and mixed
families from Abkhazia. Already for years Russian Federal Service for
Execution of Sentences UFSIN, that is prison administration, has
attempted to expel refugees in order to gain flats for their own
workers. At number of times UFSIN abolished legal means of
property dispute, and send their own workers to physically expel
refugees. Markelov was defending rights of refugees, and now inhabitants
of the dormitory need a new lawyer.

More on conflict of Yasniy Proezd 19 in Russian: http://ikd.ru/node/6522

9. Case of Valentin Urusov

Valentin Urusov from Sakha republic is a trade union activist, who
managed to organise trade union inside Russian diamond monopolist
ALROSA. Last September he was planted drugs, and given a 6 year prison
sentence.

Urusov case is an exception in this list, as he did not yet had a
contract with Markelov. But as Stanislav had a preliminary agreement to
work with the case, and search of new lawyer is also a problem for
Urusov, we have decided to gather funds for Urusov case as well.

More on case of Valentin Urusov in Russian: http://ikd.ru/node/8349

Besides these cases, we are working on continuation of Stanislav's Rule
of Law-institute. Future work for institution will be networking of
lawyers who work on cases related with human rights and social issues,
defense of activists who work with social and political movements,
organisation of educational seminars for activists and publication of
guides for activists. Funds for future activities of the institute will
be raised separately from this appeal. Website of the institute is
http://ruleoflaw.ru/eng/

If you have any questions or want more information on these cases,
contact us.

Contact person for appeal: Olga Miryasova, Institute of Collective
Action: taoom ARROBA riseup.net

General contacts:

Institute of Collective Action
info ARROBA ikd.ru
Phone: +7 (926)237 99 77, +7 (926) 2069372
www.ikd.ru

For Human Rights

Maliy kislovskiy pereulok 7-1-21
103009 Moscow, Russian Federation
Phone: +7 (495) 691-62-33
Fax: +7 (495) 609-92-14
http://www.zaprava.ru

This work is in the public domain
Sindicato Sindicat