Over two dozen people have been arrested during a protest Tuesday at the Russia-EU summit in Moscow. The rally was declared illegal at the last minute and violently broken up by the OMON riot squad. The arrested include V. Petrov, the co-ordinator of the independent union Zaschita, I. Budraitskis, leading campaigner against the new anti-union Labor Code and the Chechen war, and S. Sychev, union leader at the large GPZ enterprise in Moscow. Several demonstrators have been injured.

Slogans at the rally included anticapitalist, antiracist and anti-war slogans as well as specific demands to end foreign debt repayments, against the new Labor Code (which effectively imposes a 58 hour working week), and against enforced rises in rent.

Colleagues of the arrested trade unionists believe that the rally was violently broken up in order to save the government from embarrassment at a time when Russia is negotiating close co-operation with its number one trading partner, the EU, and with NATO.

Please protest now by contacting the Moscow police demanding that all charges are dropped and that the detained protesters are released. The address of the police station ‘Khamovniki’ is: 119048, Usacheva str., Moscow. The telephone and fax numbers in Moscow are: (+7095) 245 0104, and (+7095) 2452426.

Please also send protests to the Russian embassy in your country, (see contact information below.) Your immediate support could be vital in preventing further violation of the rights of those arrested, so please ACT NOW.



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Model fax or email protest letter:

Dear sir,

I am writing to protest at the arrest and beating of innocent trade unionists and others during a protest at the Russia-EU summit in Moscow on Tuesday, 28 May 2002.. The violent break-up of this peaceful demonstration was witnessed by millions on television. I urge your government to immediately disclose full information on the situation of those arrested and injured by police, and demand the release of these innocent men and women who were simply exercising their democratic right to protest.

Sincerely

Name ............

Organization/Union .............

City ....................

Country ......................



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CONTACT INFORMATION FOR RUSSIAN EMBASSIES (Please also send copy to us at  ISWoR@aol.com so that we can measure the response.)

Embassy of Russia in the USA: 2650 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20007 Tel. (202) 298-5700 Fax (202) 298-5735

Russian Consulate in Seattle, Washington: Seattle, WA 98121 Telephone: (206) 728-1910 Fax: (206) 728-1871  consul@seanet.com

France (Paris) Tel. 1- 45 04 05 50

United Kingdom (London) Tel 0207 - 229 3628 Fax 0207 - 727 8625

Mexico Tel. +52 5 273-1305
E-mail:  embrumex@mail.internet.com.mx

Contact info for other embassies can be found at:  http://www.russianembassy.net