Conveniently, one of the two witnesses who accused Miftakhov of having “attacked” one of the offices of Putin’s party United Russia was found dead, precluding the possibility of a counter-investigation. A third witness, today a refugee in France, recounted in March 2023 to the French news publication Mediapart the torture he suffered at the hands of the FSB to extort false admissions from him, which could be used against Azat today to fabricate a new case against him and prolong his detention.
The calls coming from around the world to demand his release have multiplied, including NGOs like Memorial and Human Rights Watch, intellectuals, Russian academics, 2,500 mathematicians as of 2022, as well as French, Italian, Brazilian, and American mathematical societies, and trade union organizations like the Russian trade union University Solidarity.
While a decision on Azat’s case is scheduled for September 2023, we’ve received information that suggests the Russian security services have increased their pressure, and launched a new series of arrests to construct new accusations against Azat to keep him locked up for years.
Despite the treatment inflicted on him, the mathematician, who recently spent his 30th birthday in prison, has always maintained his innocence. Each day his ruthless imprisonment continues serves as an example of what might happen to those who would raise their voices in Russia and express anything different from the official line of the Russian Federation since its involvement in the war in Ukraine began.
For Freedom of expression in Russia,
For Human Rights,
Azat must be freed.
The Russian Federation, by starting the war against Ukraine, bears responsibility for the risk of a general escalation. We, supporters of peace, believe that the fight for freedom of opinion and expression for the Russian people, and more generally in all the countries engaged in this war, is a key prerequisite to finding a way out of this situation for the peoples of Ukraine and Russia.
We, academics, intellectuals, political activists, trade unionists, elected officials, community leaders, journalists, and citizens, with the diversity of our opinions and fields of action, responding to the call of Azat’s support committee in Russia, freeazat, have decided to add our voices to those already expressed throughout the world by solemnly addressing the government of the Russian Federation to demand the release of Azat. We also call on you to publicly sign this appeal.
First List Of Signatories, May 31, 2023
— Ahmed Abbes, Research director at the French National Institute for Research and Science (CNRS). (France) — Alain Roques, Emeritus research director at the French National Institute for Agriculture, Diet and the Environment ( INRAE). Trade union activist. (France) — Alexander Shen, Researcher at the Laboratory of Computer Science, Robotics and Microelectronics of Montpellier (LIRMM).(France) — Alexander Bikbov, Associate researcher at the Center for Russian, Caucasus, and Central European Studies (CERCEC: EHESS/CNRS). (Russia, France) — Alexandre Borovik, Professor of mathematics (retired), University of Manchester. (UK) — Alexandre Zykov, Former coordinator of Navalny support campaign. (Russia) — Alexey Muravitski, Professor of mathematics, Northwestern State University of Louisiana. (USA) — Alexey Sakhnin, Member of the Socialist Coalition against the War. (Russia) — Aline Noël, Guidance counselor, trade union activist. (France) — Andrey Demidov, Teacher (France, Russia) — Andrey Moiseykin, Municipal councilor, Dvortsovy district, Saint-Petersburg. (Russia) — Andrey Rudoy, YouTuber and trade union activist. (Russia) — Andy Kerbat, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Loire atlantique. (France) — Anton Sokolov, Municipal councilor, city of Iochkar-Ola. (Russia) — Arié Alimi, Attorney, Paris Bar. (France) — Arnaud Le Gall, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Val d'Oise. (France) — Arnaud Saint-Martin, Sociologist, National Center of Research and Science. (France) — Bally Bagayoko, Human rights and grassroots working-class neighborhoods activist, Leader of France Unbowed (LFI) Saint-Denis. (France) — Béatrice Whitaker, Architect. (France, Brazil) — Benoît Connétable, Trade union activist and teacher, PhD in mathematics. (France) — Brigitte Marciniak, Socialist Party Morbihan (PS 56). (France) — Carlos Schmidt, Socialist and Liberty Party (Partido Socialismo e Liberdade) activist, Professor of Economic Solidarity (retired) at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. (Brazil) — Catherine Couturier, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Creuse. (France) — César Landron, Trade union activist and teacher. (France) — Christian Eyschen, Spokesperson for the International Association of Free Thought. (France) — Cyril Corbin, Trade union activist. (France) — Diana Volga, Municipal councilor, Kolpino district, Saint-Petersburg. (Russia) — DOXA, Media against war, dictatorship and inequality. (Russia) — Elena Kotenochkina, Member of “Peace. Progress. Human rights” democratic movement, former Municipal Councilor of Moscow. (Russia) — Elmar Rustamov, Member of “Workers’ Russia” and the Socialist Coalition against the War. (Russia) — Enzo Traverso, Professor, Cornell University. (USA) — Ersilia Soudais, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Seine-et-Marne. (France) — Fabien Cohen, General secretary of France Amérique Latine. (France) — Fabrice Lerestif, Trade union activist. (France) — François Godicheau, Professor, University of Toulouse. (France) — Georges Sidéris, Academic scholar. (France) — Gilbert Achcar, School of Oriental and African studies, University of London. (UK) — Ignace Dumesnil, University trade union activist. (France) — Igor Azarov, Executive, former municipal councilor, Krasnodar. (Russia) — Ilya Budraitskis, political philosopher (Russia) — Ilya Kapovich, Professor of mathematics, Hunter College of CUNY. (USA) — Irina Shumilova, Marxist, founder of “The Black Book of Capitalism” project. (Russia) — Isabelle d’Artagnan, Historian. (France) — Jean Hédou, Trade union activist. (France) — Jean-Claude Lefort, Honorary Parliamentarian. (France) — Jean-Jacques Marie, Historian. (France) — Jean-Louis Massebœuf, Retired teacher and trade union activist. (France) — Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Co-president of l’Institut La Boétie. (France) — Jean-Noël Aqua, Municipal councilor, Paris, French Communist Party (PCF). (France) — Johann Chapoutot, Historian. (France) — Jules Lyon-Caen, President of Banquets Populaires, founder of Syndicat du Service Civique. (France) — Julie Garnier, Regional councilor, France Unbowed party (LFI), Île-de-France. (France) — Karine Clément, Primary school teacher. (France) — Kirill Medvedev, Poet and musician. (Russia) — Laurence Cohen, Senator, French Communist Party (PCF). (France) — Laurent Jacquemin, Teacher and trade union activist. (France) — Lëshat, for the group Solidarité FreeAzat, libertarian translator. (France, Russia) — Lev Glebski, Academic scholar, Universidad autonoma de San Luis Potosi. (Mexico) — Lev Ponomarev, President of l’Institut Sakharov in Paris, member of “Peace. Progress. Human rights” democratic movement. (Russia, France) — Liza Smirnova, Member of the Socialist Coalition against the War, poet and et journalist. (Russia) — Marie-Laetitia Garric, for Solidarité FreeAzat, trade union activist. (France) — Marlon Ettinger, Correspondent for the group Solidarité FreeAzat in the USA, journalist. (USA) — Maria Menshikova, Correspondent for Solidarité FreeAzat in Germany, progressive activist, journalist, PhD student. (Russia) — Matthieu Niango, Philosopher. (France) — Maxime Laisney, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Seine-et-Marne. (France) — Michael Löwy, Emeritus research director at the National Center for Research and Science (CNRS). (France, Brazil) — Nadège Abomangoli, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Seine-Saint-Denis. (France) — Noam Chomsky, Academic scholar. (USA) — Olga Belova, Professeur of Russian, university specialist. (France, Russia) — Olga Podolskaya, Municipal councilor, Toula. (Russia) — Patrick Hebert, Trade union activist. (France) — Patrick Silberstein, Doctor and publisher. (France) — Pierre Gueguen, Member of the International Association for Free Thought. (France) — René Pilato, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Charente ; professor of mathematics. (France) — Solidarity Network with the Ukrainian People (Réseau de Solidarité avec le peuple de l’Ukraine (RESU). (France) — Reza Painchan, Trade union activist. (France) — Rodrigo Arenas, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Paris. (France) — Roger Martelli, Historian. (France) — Serge Grimaldi, Trade union activist, member of the League of Human Rights for Seine-et-Marne (LDH 77). (France) — Sergey Tsukasov, Former municipal councilor, Moscow. (Russia) — Silvia Capanema, Correspondant for Solidarité FreeAzat in Brazil, historian, academic scholar, regional advisor for France Unbowed party (LFI), Seine-Saint-Denis. (France) — Slavoj Žižek, Philosopher. (Slovénie) — Sophia Chikirou, Member of Parliament, France Unbowed party (LFI), Paris. (France) — Steve Gaudin, Teacher and trade union activist. (France) — Vavy Pacheco Borges, Historian. (Brazil) — Véronique Maury, Teacher and trade union activist. (France) — Vitali Bovar, Municipal councilor, vice-president of Vladimirovski district, Saint-Petersburg. (Russia) — Vladimir Zalishak, Municipal councilor, Moscow. (Russia)