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 latest laws that criminalize any type of antiwar protest. The Post reports that “the Kremlin is jailing its critics at a turbocharged rate” and labels the laws “draconian.”
A few of the protesters are long-time human rights activists, journalists and opposition politicians like Alexey Navalny, known for speaking out. But extraordinary people — teachers, students, actors, businesspeople, service employees — are locked up simply for writing signs, attending peaceful demonstrations, sharing comments with friends or for making a press release on social media. And so they are jailed for sentences that may extend as much as 15 years.
We wish them to know that they’re not alone.
Through Russians Against War – Minnesota (RAW-MN), we now have access to prisoners’ contact information in Russia. Starting in May 2023, our three organizations (The Museum of Russian Art, RAW-MN, and World Without Genocide) have held five public events at which individuals can write letters to those political prisoners.
At the primary event on May 3, 2023, held at The Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis, greater than 65 people got here together to jot down letters, in English, to people whose biographies and photos we shared that evening. The letters were the sort you’d write to any latest pen pal — warm and chatty, describing every day activities and data designed to make a private connection and to foster friendship across hundreds of miles and thru the barriers of the prison bars.
We have now held two events on 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. Most of the letter writers had never been involved in human rights activities before, but they told us that this gave them a likelihood 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 unique letter writers.
Those of us who’ve received letters are deeply moved to know that we’ve brightened the day for somebody in a bleak Russian prison.
This small act of friendship has an infinite impact. We have now learned that the prisoners who get letters receive higher treatment by the guards since the guards know that the prisoners are not any longer isolated, alone and forgotten.
And crucial impact is about democracy: supporting the liberty and courage to jot down and to talk out against Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, each inside Russia and here within the U.S. Our efforts lend support to Ukraine in its two-year-long struggle to keep up its sovereignty and its democracy, and to individuals who protest in Russia and people who have fled and protest within 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 US. 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 eight p.m. It’s free, open to all, no Russian language skill is crucial, and registration shouldn’t be required. Please join us (questions and data: admin@worldwithoutgenocide.org).
Let the prisoners know they usually are not alone. Join us in standing up with them — for democracy.
Ellen J. Kennedy is the manager director of World Without Genocide at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul. Michelle Massey is this system director and marketing manager at The Museum of Russian Art, Minneapolis. Elena Mityushina is the director of Russians Against War-Minnesota.