Tuesday, June 26, 2007

THREE YEARS IN THE SLAMMER FOR BEING BEATEN BY FASCISTS


Max Gubski, a teenage member of Food not Bombs in the Belarussian city of Minsk, has been sentenced to hard labor after he was the vicitim of a fascist attack. Skinhead attacks are nothing new in Minsk and neither is police and judicial indifference.

The staff of the Food not Bombs collective is diverse and varies from anarcho-punk to Krishnaits, but they are united by the impulse to help those who are in need, and what is more important, to demonstrate, that it is possible to change the world by helping each other.

Anyway, I don't know anything more about this particular incident, but I thought it was worthwhile to pass the news along.

The following is from Anarchistyznei.

Max Gets Three Years in Work Camp

Maxim Gubski, a 17-year old activist from Minsk got three years hard labour in a Belarussian work camp. The sentence was the result of charges pressed by fascists who were trying to blackmail Max, a local Food not Bombs activist.

Max had been active in the Minsk radical scene for 3 years. At the end of last year, a fight broke out between some skinheads and some antifascists. As is often, unforunately, the case in Russia and, it seems, Belarus, the boneheads, who feel above the law and are not likely to get into any trouble with the police, asked for money from Max in exchange for not pressing charges. They demanded 1500 USD, which Max refused to pay.

After going to the police, another person came forward and tried to claim responsibility for the fight. Despite this, Max was sentenced.

Max is going to spend the next three years in rough conditions, so solidarity is needed. Send him letters - his birthday is July 24 and if you write now, he'll probably get your letters by then! Be careful about what you send; radical materials probably won't be allowed, but certainly cards with best wishes will be.

Adress:
220050 Minsk, ul. Volorarskogo-2 K-78 Gubskomu Maksimu
220050. г.Минск ул. Володарского-2 К-78 Губскому Максиму

(ps - your guess is as good as mine on the address-ed)

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