On 16 October, 324 people from 15 countries joined a one-day solidarity hunger strike; protests were held outside Ukrainian embassies and consulates in five countries.
An international campaign in defence of anti-fascist prisoners in Ukraine – opposing their torture and inhumane conditions of detention – took place on 16 October. A total of 324 people participated in a one-day solidarity hunger strike, and protests were held outside Ukrainian embassies and consulates in five countries on 16 and 17 October.
GREECE
In Athens, the Anti-Imperialist Front organised a picket outside the Ukrainian Embassy, demanding an end to the torture of political prisoners at Vinnytsia Penal Colony No. 86 and in all other Ukrainian prisons.
During the picket, a statement was read out denouncing the crimes of Dmytro Petryk, the warden of Vinnytsia Penal Colony No. 86. The participants demanded that Petryk be held immediately accountable for the torture and killing of political prisoners.
ITALY
In Naples, a demonstration in support of Ukrainian political prisoners took place outside the Consulate General of Ukraine, during which a letter was delivered to the consul.
A banner was unfurled in front of the consulate, bearing the message: “We defend the physical and mental integrity of political prisoners in Ukraine,” signed by the Association for the Protection of Human Rights of Political Prisoners in Ukraine.
UNITED KINGDOM
The Anti-Imperialist Front and International Anti-Fascist Solidarity with Ukraine held a protest outside the Ukrainian Embassy in London to express solidarity with political prisoners in Ukraine.
Participants in the demonstration spoke out against the inhumane conditions, torture, and killings of Ukrainian political prisoners at one of the country’s penal facilities – Vinnytsia Correctional Colony No. 86.
CATALONIA
A protest was held in Barcelona in front of the Consulate General of the Ukrainian fascist regime, in defence of political prisoners in Ukraine.
The action was organised by the Anti-Imperialist Front to advocate for the lives and well-being of Ukrainian anti-fascists currently held in custody.
The participants stated: “We will continue to expose the policy of extermination directed against political dissent in Ukraine, as well as the proxy war being waged against Russia.”
GERMANY
On Saturday, 17 October, a solidarity demonstration for political prisoners in Ukraine took place in front of the Ukrainian Consulate in Frankfurt.
Activists from the Anti-Imperialist Front, the People’s Front, and Grup Yorum called for the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners held at Vinnytsia Correctional Colony No. 86 and other prisons.
UNITED STATES
The Communist Party of the USA sent an appeal to the government of Ukraine, which stated, in part:
“The Communist Party of the USA and its youth wing, the Young Communist League of the USA, condemn in the strongest possible terms the ongoing violation of the fundamental rights of tens of thousands of anti-fascist activists in Ukraine, particularly those at Vinnytsia Correctional Colony No. 86.The treatment of political prisoners in Ukraine is characterised by systematic torture, brutality, corruption, and the exploitation of prisoners through forced, slave-like labour.”
In a formal statement, the Communist Party USA demanded the immediate removal of Dmytro Petryk, the warden of Vinnytsia Penal Colony No. 86, from his post, as well as an independent investigation into the torture and inhumane conditions at the facility.
Similar statements were sent by activists from various countries to Vinnytsia Penal Colony No. 86, the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Ministry of Justice, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman), and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society.
SOLIDARITY HUNGER STRIKES
Between 7 October and 16 October, a solidarity hunger strike chain was organised in support of anti-fascist prisoners in Ukraine. On 16 October, a collective one-day hunger strike took place, involving 324 participants from 15 countries.
As part of the solidarity hunger strike chain, Gürkan Gür from the Anti-Imperialist Front – Great Britain and the Kononovych brothers from Ukraine each held three-day hunger strikes.
COUNTRY with numbers of PARTICIPANTS
Ukraine 118
Greece 93
Germany 40
France 20
Great Britain 17
TAYAD (Turkey) 11
Belgium 10
Switzerland 4
Catalonia 2
Netherlands 2
Belarus 2
Russia 2
Basque Country 1
Austria 1
Serbia 1
TOTAL: 324 PEOPLE
Among the hunger strike participants, 58 are individuals held in Ukrainian prisons and pre-trial detention centres: Lukyanivska Pre-trial Detention Centre – 29; Pyatykhatky Penal Colony No. 122 – 13; Nykolaiv Pre-trial Detention Centre – 9; Lviv Pre-trial Detention Centre – 5; Vinnytsia Penal Colony No. 86 – 2. Five members of the Union of Communists of Ukraine (in Ukraine) also took part in the hunger strike.
SOLIDARITY FROM TURKEY
In Turkey, the hunger strike was supported by members of the Association for Solidarity with the Families of Prisoners and Convicts (TAYAD).
Participants included 81-year-old Mehmet Güvel, who is under house arrest and has been staging a protest right outside his home since 11 October.
In a telephone conversation, he stated: “Our thoughts are the same. We will join the solidarity hunger strike. All our friends here send their greetings; we stand with our Ukrainian comrades. They are just like us! We shall act together!”
In Russia, the hunger strike was joined by members of the Revolutionary Communist Youth League (Bolsheviks).
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND GAINS
Dozens of videos and photos were sent from EU countries, Russia, Belarus, the LPR, and Latvia as a gesture of solidarity with Ukrainian political prisoners and to demand an end to torture.
This was the third international campaign in support of anti-fascist prisoners in Ukraine, organised by the Anti-Imperialist Front and the People’s Front, in collaboration with the Ukrainian Association for the Protection of the Rights of Political Prisoners and Human Rights.
As a result of previous campaigns and the work of the Association, Alexander Melnik – a leader of the resistance within Vinnytsia Penal Colony No. 86 – was released from solitary confinement. He was urgently transferred to another penal colony, bypassing the standard multi-prison transit process, an unprecedented move. The head of the colony and the chief of the operational unit met with him personally and arranged for a full medical examination at a hospital.
Furthermore, the demands of Igor Savitsky – a participant in protests at the Nykolaiv pre-trial detention centre – regarding his conditions of detention were met. Additionally, the acting head of the detention centre was dismissed; he had previously sent Savitsky to a punishment cell, refused to follow doctors’ orders regarding medical treatment for political prisoners, and demanded that everyone speak only Ukrainian.
RESISTANCE AND INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY ALWAYS WIN!
IMAGES FROM THE 16 OCTOBER INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY HUNGER STRIKE
Actions and solidarity messages from the international campaign.
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