Nearly 20,000 people in Russia have been detained for opposing the war in Ukraine and 537 people have been charged criminally, reported the Washington Post last May. Men, women, and even children and the elderly are incarcerated for breaking new laws that criminalize any form of antiwar protest. The Post reports that “the Kremlin is jailing its critics at a turbocharged rate” and labels the laws “draconian.”
Some of the protesters are long-time human rights activists, journalists and opposition politicians like Alexey Navalny, known for speaking out. But ordinary people — teachers, students, actors, businesspeople, service workers — are locked up simply for writing signs, attending peaceful demonstrations, sharing comments with friends or for making a statement on social media. And they are jailed for sentences that can extend up to 15 years.
We want them to know that they’re not alone.
Through Russians Against War – Minnesota (RAW-MN), we have access to prisoners’ contact information in Russia. Beginning in May 2023, our three organizations (The Museum of Russian Art, RAW-MN, and World Without Genocide) have held five public events at which people can write letters to these political prisoners.
At the first event on May 3, 2023, held at The Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis, more than 65 people came together to write letters, in English, to people whose biographies and photos we shared that evening. The letters were the kind you would write to any new pen pal — warm and chatty, describing daily activities and information designed to make a personal connection and to foster friendship across thousands of miles and through the barriers of the prison bars.
We have held two events at the museum and others at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, the Minnesota State Capitol and Mt. Zion Temple, all in St. Paul. Several hundred people have joined us, ranging in age from 10 years old to 80, from Russia, Ukraine, Iran and Minnesota. Many of the letter writers had never been involved in human rights activities before, but they told us that this gave them a chance to do something, to say NO to the war in Ukraine.
The letters get translated, then sent from RAW-MN to a secure portal in Russia and, after passing through prison censors, the letters are delivered to the political prisoners. The prisoners write back, and the letters are emailed to RAW-MN to translate into English and email to the original letter writers.
Those of us who have received letters are deeply moved to know that we’ve brightened the day for someone in a bleak Russian prison.
This small act of friendship has an enormous impact. We have learned that the prisoners who get letters receive better treatment by the guards because the guards know that the prisoners are no longer isolated, alone and forgotten.
And the most important impact is about democracy: supporting the freedom and courage to write and to speak out against Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, both within Russia and here in the U.S. Our efforts lend support to Ukraine in its two-year-long struggle to maintain its sovereignty and its democracy, and to people who protest in Russia and those who have fled and protest in the U.S. and elsewhere.
The Minnesota Legislature is considering a Resolution in Support of Democracy, affirming Ukraine’s independence and ongoing democratic freedom, political protesters in Russia and elsewhere, and defending the principles of human rights in Minnesota and the United States. We hope that Gov. Tim Walz will announce the Resolution on Feb. 24, 2024, the second anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.
Our next letter writing event is at Central Baptist Church, 420 N. Roy Street in St. Paul, on Jan. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. It is free, open to all, no Russian language skill is necessary, and registration is not required. Please join us (questions and information: admin@worldwithoutgenocide.org).
Let the prisoners know they are not alone. Join us in standing up with them — for democracy.
[image_caption]Ellen J. Kennedy, Michelle Massey and Elena Mityushina[/image_caption]
