This urgent appeal has been written in collaboration with activists and intellectuals living in Russia. If you are willing to sign it please send your signature by email to polsolidaritycall@gmail.com.
At the end of January 2021, a wave of mass protests swept through all of Russia’s major cities. The occasion for these protests was the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, but the genuine cause was the enormous social inequality and political disenfranchisement prevailing in the country. Not all of those who took to the streets were supporters of Navalny, but they were all united by a desire for social and political change and a fatigue with the corrupt, authoritarian regime ruling Russia today.
Peaceful protesters faced unprecedented (even for Putin’s Russia) police brutality: in a few days, over 10,000 people were arrested, many of them beaten on arrest. A climate of fear was created in the country: students who participated in the rallies have been expelled from universities, teachers who sympathized with them have lost their jobs, and school students have been intimidated for voicing their political stance.
While we disagree with Navalny’s pro-capitalist orientation, which on this point is not different from that of Putin’s regime and represents no real social and democratic alternative, we demand the immediate release of Alexei Navalny and all political prisoners, and stand in solidarity with all those in Russia who are fighting for social and environmental justice and fundamental democratic rights.
Argentina
Nicolás del Caño, Deputy PTS/FIT
Myriam Bregman, Deputy PTS/FIT
Martín Mosquera, Professor at the University of Buenos Aires & editor, Jacobin Latin America https://jacobinlat.com/
Nora Ciapponi, militante, candidate in 1973 as vice president of the Nation for el Partido Socialista de los Trabajadores.
Eduardo Lucita, Economistas de Izquierda (EDI)
Australia
Federico Fuentes, journalist
Mick Armstrong, Socialist Alternative
Susan Engel, Associate Professor, Politics & International Studies
Belgium
Yannis Thanassekos, ex-director of Fondation Auschwitz (1983-2010)
Eric Toussaint, PhD University Liège and Paris VIII, spokesperson CADTM international
Mateo Alaluf, Sociologue, professeur émérite de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles ULB
Corinne Gobin, Professeure à l’Université libre de Bruxelles
Lucien Perpette, ex shop steward FGTB metal, militant IV International
Christine Pagnoulle, Université de Liège, ATTAC Liège
Jean-Marie Chauvier, journalist, ex permanent correspondant Drapeau Rouge (Red Flag) in Moscow
Jean Delval, Editions du Cerisier
Danièle Ricaille, Editions du Cerisier
Mauro Gasparini, Gauche anticapitaliste – SAP
Bernard Duterme, director CETRI – Centre tricontinental
Willy Estersohn, ex-journalist
Brazil
Fernanda Melchionna, Federal Deputy of the PSOL Rio Grande do Sul
Roberto Robaina, Member of Municipal Council/Vereador of Porto Alegre/Brazil, National Direction of PSOL
Gustavo Seferian, Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Director of ANDES-SN
Israel Dutra, responsible for international relations of the PSOL
Sâmia Bomfim – federal diputada PSOL São Paulo
Vivi Reis – federal diputated PSOL Pará
David Miranda – federal diputate PSOL Rio de Janeiro
Luciana Genro – PSOL state diputada Rio Grande do Sul
Mônica Seixas – deputy PSOL state of São Paulo
Sandro Pimentel – PSOL Rio Grande do Norte state diputado
Fábio Félix – PSOL district diputado Distrito Federal
Luana Alves – concejala PSOL São Paulo/SP
Mariana Conti – concejala PSOL Campinas SP
Josemar Carvalho – concejal PSOL Saint Gonçalo/RJ
Jurandir Silva – concejal PSOL Pelotas/RS
Max Costa – Secretary of Human Rights of Belém/PA
Mariana Riscali – National Secretariat of Finance of PSOL
Zeneide Lima – National PSOL Executive
Leandro Recife – National PSOL Executive
Pedro Fuentes – International PSOL Observatory
Bruno Magalhães – International PSOL Observatory
Danilo Serafim – Union of Educators and Professionals of Education of Rio de Janeiro (SEPE/RJ)
Paulo Neves – State Union of Teachers of São Paulo (APEOESP)
Ana Borguin – Union of Metroviarios of São Paulo
Luan Badia – Federation of University Workers (FASUBRA)
Camila Souza – Youth Movement Together!
Maurício Costa – Red Emancipa de Educación Popular
Nathalie Drumond – Movimiento de Mujeres Juntas!
Paula Kaufmann -Movimiento de Mujeres Juntas!
Tiago Aguiar – Editor of the Movement Magazine
Canada
Michael A. Lebowitz, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Simon Fraser University
David Mandel, professor, Université du Québec à Montréal
M V Ramana, Professor, University of British Columbia.
Haideh Moghissi, Emerita Professor of Sociology, York University, Toronto
Saeed Rahnema, Professor (retired) Political Science and Public Policy, York University
Ronald Cameron, Plateforme altermondialiste
Croatia
Srecko Horvat, Diem25
Dimitrije Birac, Subversive Festival, Zagreb.
Ecuador
Fernando López Romero, Movimiento Revolucionario de los Trabajadores -Ecuador –MRT
Carlos Rojas, MRT
France
Gérard Chaouat, immunologist, Ensemble
Patrick Silberstein, Éditeur, Editions Syllepse
Pierre Cours-Salies, Sociologue. Professeur émérite, membre d’Ensemble !
Pierre Rousset, Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF)
Franck Gaudichaud, Professeur des universités, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès
Christine Poupin, porte-parole du Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste
Karine Clément, Sociologue, CNRS
Catherine Samary, économiste altermondialiste, IV Internationale
Serle Le Quéau, syndicaliste
Olivier Besancenot, NPA
Jan Malewski, Responsable de la rédaction d’Inprecor, http://www.inprecor.fr
Josette Trat, Sociologue féministe
Claude Calame, Directeur d’études Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris
Penelope Duggan, International Viewpoint, IV International, https://internationalviewpoint.org/
Michèle Leclerc-Olive, chercheure CNRS (retraitée) et Présidente de CIBELE
Bruno Della Sudda, autogestionnaire et altermondialiste, ex-conseiller municipal de Nice – Ensemble!
Didier Epsztajn, animateur du blog « entre les lignes entre les mots »
Stefan Bekier, interprète de conférence, membre de la Commission internationale d’Ensemble!
Christian Mahieux, syndicaliste SUD-Rail |Union syndicale Solidaires], éditeur (Syllepse)
Henri Mermé, coordinateur de la commission internationale d’Ensemble !
Nicole Abravanel, historienne
Gustave Massiah, fondateur du CEDETIM
Christophe Aguiton, militant altermondialiste, ex secrétaire général d’ATTAC
Gilles Manceron, historien
Martine Boudet didacticienne, membre du Conseil scientifique d’Attac France
Daniel Guerrier, éditeur des Editions Spartacus
Pedro Vianna, poète, homme de théâtre, enseignant universitaire
Marie-Claude Herboux, Militante d’Ensemble!
Ugo Palheta, membre de la rédaction de la revue Contretemps, membre IV internationale
Léon Crémieux, IV Internationale
Patrick Farbiaz, PEPS_ Pour une Ecologie Populaire et Sociale
Bénédicte Monville, PEPS- Conseillere régionale
Sergio Coronado, PEPS , ancien député
Jean Malifaud, Syndicaliste SNESUP-FSU
Hubert Krivine, physicien
Monique Dental, Présidente Réseau Féministe « Ruptures »
Alexis Cukier, Philosophe, Attac, CGT Ferc Sup
Nicole Fouché, Vice-présidente de REFH
Jef Pellissier, Porte-parole d’Ensemble!
Pierre Khalfa, Fondation Copernic
Evelyne Perrin, syndicaliste
Gérard Filoche, porte-parole de la Gauche démocratique et sociale
Eric Thouzeau, conseiller régional GDS des Pays de la Loire
Frank Mintz, anarchosyndicaliste, CNT-Solidarité ouvrière
André Rosevègue, Militant girondin multicarte
Yves Quintal, associatif enseignant membre d’Ensemble
Antoine Pécard
Pierre Khalfa, Fondation Copernic
Roland Mérieux, Commission internationale d’Ensemble!
J-F Pellissier, Porte-parole d’ENSEMBLE!
Germany
Loren Balhorn, Editor, Jacobin.DE
Jakob Schäfer, ISO, IV internationale
Greece
Antonis Ntavanelos, DEA
Yorgos Mitralias, Journalist
Tassos Anastassiadis, journalist, Magazine “4” & Synantissi (for an Anticapitalist Internationalist Left) https://tpt4.org/
Italy
Roberto Savio, Othernews
India
Achin Vanaik, Retired Professor, University of Delhi
Kunal Chattopadhyay, Professor of Comparative Literature and Russian/ Soviet History specialist, Jadavpur University
Shalmali Guttal, Focus on the Global South
Sushovan Dhar, CADTM-India
Soumya Sahin, Associate Professor of Economics, The WB National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
Pratip Nag, Radical Socialist, IV International
Manoj Bhattacharya, General Secretary, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), former Member of Parliament
Ireland
Paul Murphy, TD, Member of the Irish parliament, RISE, www.letusrise.ie
Japan
Tsutomu Teramoto, ATTAC Japan
Kenya
David Otieno, Kenyan Peasants League
Luxemburg
Justin Turpel, ancien député Dei Lenk-La Gauche
David Wagner, Député de déi Lénk – La Gauche
Martinique
Philippe Pierre Charles, Groupe Révolution Socialiste, IV internationale
Rita Bonheur présidente de l’union des femmes de la Martinique
Gilbert Pago, historien
Morocco
Aziz Rhali, Forum Social Mondial de la santé et de la sécurité sociale
Omar Aziki, ATTAC-CADTM Maroc, membre du Secrétariat international partagé du CADTM
Fatima Zahra EL Belghiti, Secrétaire générale d’Attac-Cadtm Maroc, membre du Secrétariat international partagé du CADTM
Netherlands
Alex de Jong, co-director IIRE www.iire.org
México
Edgard Sánchez, Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores (PRT)
Pedro Manuel Acosta Granado, Investigador de Ciencias Médicas, PRT, Ciencia para el Pueblo
José Luis Hernández Ayala, Coordinadora Socialista Revolucionaria de México
Poland
Stefan Zgliczyński, director,”Le Monde diplomatique (Poland)
Roland Zarzycki, profesor university
Phillipines
Walden Bello, PhD Adjunct Professor of Sociology State University of New York at Binghamton
Puerto Rico
Rafael Bernabe, Senador en el gobierno de Puerto Rico
Antonio Garcia Padilla, former president of University of Puerto Rico
Jorge E Lefevre Tavárez, Democracia Socialista
Manuel A Rodriguez Banchs, abogado
Serbia
Aleksandar Matković, Institute for Economic Sciences, Belgrade
Senegal
Mamadou Mignane Diouf, Coordonnateur du Forum social sénégalais Dakar
South Africa
Brian Ashley, AIDC & editor Amandla magazine
Patrick Bond, Professor, University of the Western Cape School of Government
Charles Abrahams, Lawyer
Spanish State
Miguel Urban, Member of the European Parliament, member of Anticapitalistas in the Spanish State, IV International
Manuel Gari, Economist Ecosocialist
Raúl Camargo, Anticapitalistas
Jesus Uzkudun Illarramendi, Sindicalista y miembro de ASVIAMIE (Asociación de victimas del Amianto) País Vasco
Alfons Bech, sindicalista de Comisiones Obreras, CCOO
Jordi Armadans, director FundiPau
Teresa Rodríguez Rubio, diputada en el Parlamento de Andalucía
José Ignacio García Sánchez, diputado en el Parlamento de Andalucía
Ángela Aguilera Clavija, diputada en el Parlamento de Andalucía
Concejales:
Leonor Rodríguez Salcedo, concejala Adelante Algeciras
David Rodríguez Alhambra, concejal de Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Sri Lanka
Dharmasiri Lankapeli, Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions
Linus Jayatilake, United Federation of Labour
Niel Wijethilake, Left Voice, IV International
Sweden
Andreas Malm, Associate professor in human ecology
Kjell Östberg, Professor in Contemporary History, Södertörn University
Lars Henriksson, Auto worker and trade unionist
Eva Nikell, specialist in human rights
Switzerland
Stéfanie Prezioso, Conseillère nationale (MP), Ensemble à Gauche
Sébastien Bertrand, SolidaritéS
Paolo Gilardi, historien & militant
Charles-André Udry, https://alencontre.org/
Jocelyne Haller, députée au Grand conseil genevois, Ensemble à Gauche- solidaritéS)
Juan Tortosa, CADTM Suisse
Tunisia
Ahlem Belhadj, pédopsychiatre & féministe
Olfa Lamloum, chercheur
UK
Julie Ward, National Committee member Another Europe Is Possible & Former Labour Member of European Parliament
Costas Lapavitsas, University of London
Tariq Ali, writer
Gilbert Achcar, Professor, SOAS, University of London
Michael Roberts, marxist economist, https://thenextrecession.wordpress.com/
Alex Callinicos, Emeritus Professor of European Studies, King’s College London
Dr Neil Faulkner FSA, Archaeologist and Historian
Simon Pearson, Anti-capitalist Resistance
Mike Phipps, member of the editorial board of labourbriefing.org
Andrew Kilmister, Editor, Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe
USA
Noam Chomsky, Professor (emeritus) MIT; Professor U. of Arizona
Suzi Weissman, Professor of Politics Saint Mary’s College of California
Robert Brenner, professor emeritus of history and director of the Center for Social Theory and Comparative History at UCLA (California)
Vivek Chibber, Professor of sociology at New York University & Editor, Catalyst : A Journal of Theory and Strategy
Enzo Traverso, historian & Susan and Barton Winokur Professor in the Humanities, Cornell University.
Jeff Mackler National Secretary Socialist Action; Steering Committee Assangedefense.org
Todd Chretien, editor, No Borders News
Paul Le Blanc, Professor of History, La Roche University, Pittsburgh, PA
David Adler, Progressive International
John Leslie, National Committee, Socialist Resurgence US
Dan Piper Socialist Resurgence US Candidate for State Representative, Connecticut)
Dianne Feeley, labor activist (UAW Local 235)
Ashley Smith, member of The Democratic Socialists of America and National Writers Union
Dan La Botz, writer
Frieda Afary, Producer of Iranian Progressives in Translation
Nancy Holmstrom, Professor of Philosophy Emerita, Rutgers University – Newark
Peter Hudis, Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Oakton Community College
Kevin Anderson, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Danny Postel, Member, Internationalism from Below
Howie Hawkins, Presidential candidate for Green Party, 2020
Margaret Guttshall, National Writers Union (NWU)
Wayne Heimbach, Retired Trade Union Representative
Samuel Farber, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Brooklyn College of CUNY.
Alan Wald, H. Chandler Davis Collegiate Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Danny Postel, United States Member, Internationalism from Below
Venezuela
Stalin Pérez Borges, Liga Unitaria Chavista Socialista (LUCHAS)
Organisations
France
Le Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste (NPA)
Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF)
Union syndicale Solidaires
ENSEMBLE! (Mouvement pour une Alternative de Gauche, Ecologiste et Solidaire)
Maroc
Courant Al Mounadil-a
Mexico
Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores, PRT
Coordinadora Socialista Revolucionaria de México, CSR
Spain
Anticapitalistas, IV Internacional
Switzerland
SolidaritéS
UK
Anti-capitalist resistance https://www.anticapitalistresistance.org/
USA
Socialist Action socialistaction.org
Solidarity https://solidarity-us.org/
International Marxist-Humanist Organization www.imhjojournal.org
Venezuela
Liga Unitaria Chavista Socialista (LUCHAS)
International
IV International