The anarchist Ruslan Siddiqui is accused of causing an explosion, on a railway used to transport military equipment and fuel to the Russian army in Ukraine. The result was the derailment of 19 carriages of a goods train in the Ryazan region. There were no casualties, although the driver’s assistant sustained non-serious injuries. Russian Railways assessed the damage at €300.000. Ruslan has been charged with committing a terrorist act, and possession of explosive material. He is faced with between 12 and 30 years’ imprisonment.
Ruslan’s comrades say: "Ruslan is a proponent of anarchist ideas, and the Russian military aggression against Ukraine distressed him greatly. All the more so because some of his friends and comrades died in that conflict, and people continue to die there".
Ruslan does not deny that he organized an act of sabotage. He drew attention to a stretch of railway along which military equipment and fuel is often transported to the front. Ruslan set out, on purpose, to damage the track under a goods train, to avoid casualties. He monitored progress using a video camera.
Ruslan’s motive was completely opposite to terrorism. Siddiqui has repeatedly stated that his action was, on the contrary, aimed at preventing deaths and injuries. He insists that his objective was to damage the infrastructure for the delivery of goods.
Ruslan states categorically his opposition to damaging civilian infrastructure, and all the more to attacking peaceful civilians.
Legal defence is especially important to those accused of "terrorism": human rights initiative Solidarity zone has learned in practice that, in these cases, the security services often use torture and other methods of intimidation. Moreover, the prison sentences for "terrorist" offences are significantly longer than for others.
Solidarity zone and Ruslan Siddiqui’s comrades are organising a fund-raiser for his lawyer’s fees. Let’s make sure that no-one has to face the system on their own. For six months’ of the lawyer’s work, we need to collect €3450.
PayPal: solidarity_zone@riseup.net (please specify, "for Siddiqui", if possible euros are the preferred currency)
Cryptocurrencies (please inform by email to solidarity_zone@riseup.net if you send cryptocurrency to support Ruslan Siddiqui)
Monero: 4B1tm6boA5ST6hLdfnPRG2Np9XMHCTiyhE6QaFo46QXp6tZ7Y6nJjE43xBBTwHM84bWwexR8nS4KH36JHujjc1kC8j2Mx5e
Bitcoin: bc1qn404lrshp3q9gd7852d7w85sa09aq0ch28s3v4
USDT (TRC20): TRcCUHKSMY7iLJPvbDxLc6ZnvAud72jTgj
Address for letters: 107996, Russia, Moscow, st. Matrosskaya Tishina, d. 18, SIZO-1, Siddiqui Ruslan Kasemovich born 1988. How to write a letter to a prisoner if you are not in Russia?
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