Several tens of thousands of people came out on protest rallies this Saturday throughout Russia - more than 3,500 detainees, initiated at least 15 criminal cases, about 100 administrative decisions were already issued. Human rights organizations help to all these people - they advise with arrests, bring in the Department of Internal Affairs and Water, achieve liberation, accompanying in the courts. Many of those who have not reached shares due to personal reasons, try to at least help such organizations financially. Vtimes looked behind the scenes of the OWD-Info work, "protest" and "Human Rights" and tell how the struggle for civil rights passes not only under the snow in the squares.
OVD info, Coordinator Leonid Drabkin- As according to the results of the rallies on January 23, you yourself can appreciate your work, do you cope? Forces enough?
- Our main principle - information protects. The most important aspect of our work on a par with direct legal aid is the dissemination of information. On January 23, we were quite quoted, managed to give publicity all cases of violation of the right to freedom of assembly.
I am more or less unhappy, always there is where to improve, but I can say exactly that the team gave themselves completely and we did everything that could. We were helped by about 140 volunteers. There were tens of thousands of posts in our bot, there were no such volumes, and we were not entirely prepared in terms of human and technical resources. Many we answered with a big delay, sometimes she was measured by hours, unfortunately. Some calls passed, but then they tried to call back. Hope people will understand us - it was an unprecedented load. In the afternoon, we counted 3500 confirmed detainees (now 3695. - VTIMES), and the number increases. We still have a calculation and verification of data, their clarification.
In terms of departures in the ATS, we also made the maximum possible, but it turned out to be lower than the required level. Detention were in 125 cities, this is a record number. Not all of us were lawyers, lawyers. Even in Moscow, despite cooperation with the "public verdict", the "protest" and others, lawyers were able to leave not in all ATS, because they delivered to a variety of areas. But most of those who applied we managed to at least advise. Now we will try to provide all assistance in the courts. We will look for lawyers in those regions where they are not yet. It should be understood that 3,500 detainees are a lot, about the same amount was detained for all the shares in 2019 around the Moscow City Duma.
- You mentioned volunteers. How many and how do you teach them?
- Volunteers are the main driving force. Nine years ago, OVD info arose as a volunteer project, only two of them were two, these are our founders, and now thousands. The work that was done yesterday and today - in fact, we do it every day, even though it is not always visible. But in the days of big shares without volunteers, just nowhere. You are talking to a bottle telegram with them, on the telephone hotline. They are wool all sources of information so that we have a complete picture of what is happening, recheck the data. Periodically, we think even create a separate school for volunteers, today we have instructions, trainings.
- On the eve of rallies in social networks, there were many posts from those who could not or do not want to go to the rally, that they were going to sacrifice money to human rights defenders who will help the detainees. How much did the number of donors and the amount of donates have increased significantly?
- Yes, the number of donations and their amount rose significantly. We did not count another final figure until it was once, but these are record amounts. Crowdfunding is not only money, but also support. Usually send on the day of the promotion, and then it was in advance, it was a super-accomplishing. We felt the request of society to what we do, and I want to say a lot of thanks to everyone. We are talking about thousands of people, it is very nice! Every month our report comes out, and there we will show accurate numbers. Most donations will go to the aid of the courts. During the action, we were able to assist not all - some simply advised, but we will try to assist in the courts of the first and second instance, bring things to the ECHR. It's a long story.
- Tell me how coordination is arranged? What if someone was detained, and he did not have time to inform about it, for example, pleased the phone, how do you learn about such cases?
"So that we can somehow help that the lawyer is allowed into the ATS, he needs to know the name and date of birth and better the phone. If a person was detained, and his phone was sat down or selected - there is a risk of him not to know, but, you know, the auto sho is such a place of unity of people. Always at least someone with the phone remains, and at least someone from the car fuel time to write about himself, and about the neighbors.
- From the bot and the phone you are fixing, what is the next step? How do you coordinate with other organizations?
- As soon as we fix information about the detention, we as it were to put the beacon and follow the person to bring to the ATS. From the moment of detention can pass for several hours. The departure of the lawyer makes sense only when exactly landed in the ATS. This is important because they often bring to one ATS, they keep there, they think about something, and then they go to another ATS.
Then we think that we have options. If we have a lawyer, we are going. If not, coordinated with others. Some we would never have coped. We have no lawyer in the state, we only coordinate all. The quantity depends on the action, from personal employment. Pool is calculated a hundred different. Yesterday there were about 40 lawyers. By the way, the lawyer is not only legal support, but also psychological. When the detainee understands that a narrowing person is near, it is easier for him.
It is true to distribute forces - always a problem, we have tens of chatics. But every time we make a chamber forward in the automation plan. There are not only a bot for readers, but also internal bots. But the load grows and grows and grows.
- Ovd-Info at some point said that the detainees are already 3,500, and then recovered almost a thousand. How did it happen? Just the number was mistaken or were there any no data?
- It was a story just about verification and confirmation of data. We knew about these people, but managed to check only 2500 and accidentally published a figure that was not fully checked. We no one, fortunately, did not deceive, but still the information must be checked. As a result, see - we came to such a figure.
- In other words, quite exactly that this is the number you give, is it final?
- We give the number in which we are sure, guesses I would not want to do. When all the information is processed, the current number will grow by several hundred. I do not think that an order of magnitude, definitely not 10 times. We can talk about hundreds of people. I will give an example. Usually, 20 people sits in the auto fuel, 15 of them will definitely write to themselves and everyone in the pussy. On Saturday, we were written from Makhachkala - there were about 60 people sitting there, and only three or four were introduced. Earlier, no one would call. But now this situation suggests that there may have been still detentions - they were just afraid to publish their names.
- By the way, how is the information from the regions generally processed? There are a lot of "ATS info" there?
- Previously, all-Russian shares were already already, for example, after the film "He is not Dimon". Then we knew less - it is not known, maybe somewhere they did not delay, and maybe we were not reported. Every promotion is learned about us more and more. We also develop - in 2020 we provided legal assistance in 15-20 cities. We were engaged in dozens and hundreds of cases in Khabarovsk, were looking for lawyers there, although there were no lawyers in the regions. I hope in 2021 we will be able to help a greater number of people.
"Human Rights Postcards", lawyer Anastasia Burakova- What is the work of "Human Rights Postcards"?
- First of all, we are distributing memo with phone numbers everywhere. The first task is remote - consultation of detainees, call from all over Russia. Ask what to do what to write that not to write in the protocols. We colleague with a colleague on Saturday took about 200 calls. Plus we have a bot, we accept the information and people answer. Then we collect information about the detainees, we ask to rewrite everyone in the gun, who goes with them. Coordinate with other human rights organizations to have a common picture, who needs help volunteers in the plan of food, water. And, of course, this is departing to the departments. During the Saturday, the promotion had many violations: people have imputed articles for which they cannot hold more than three hours, and kept 8-9. We watched people finally released. Assistance was assisted on extraordinary situations: they do not give drugs to those who are urgently needed, diabetics for example. Next - assistance in the courts. This week will be actively: the authorities will try to consider administrative cases rather. The judicial system, I suspect, will not cope in a week.
- How much does lawyers cooperate with you? Only in Moscow or in the regions too?
- We have lawyers that we attract if needed in large quantities. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, it is about 10 in every city. In other cities, they attract more about 20 more. Always before shares are looking for someone new. The work of lawyers we pay.
- How does coordination be coordination with other human rights organizations? How do you decide who and where will go?
- In the Peter we have a common chat, a common table on the detainee, which we lead when we know the article, the status, who left the lawyers, it works online. Also on the courts not to duplicate each other. In St. Petersburg, at all a long-time friendly human rights family. We always work quite simply. In Moscow, too, look, monitor the telegram channels to not duplicate. And we try to unsubscribe themselves who and where from ours went.
- How many appeals was on Saturday? How did the stock day have passed for you? Did you cope with work, was there a scale for you amazing, is there enough resources?
- It's hard to say, it is very difficult to calculate in absolute numbers. Of course, I would always like, of course, to make as much lawyers as possible to pay attention to each. It was the most massive share of recent years. But in general they coped. There was no such thing that a person writes - I sit eight hours instead of three, but we have no one to send.
- Before the action and after it, did financial support from supporters increased? How noticeable? Do you have these resources?
- Yes, on the eve of and during the promotion, we were noticeably supported, on Saturday we covered the work of all lawyers. And even a little bit of lawyers and for the courts will be able to cover the work. Usually fundraise is a significant part to which we work. Now I can say that donations were more than usual. Compared to mass shares 2017-2018. Support increased 1.5-2 times. So it's still difficult to estimate how much it is. When the Moscow business was, they actively helped us, because we performed defenders on loud criminal cases, respectively, journalists wrote about us, people knew more.
"APOLOGY OF PROTEST", lawyer and senior partner Alexander Ponoruk- Tell us about your business brief. Does your work lies in the fact that you go to the ATS? Or are there any advice, something else?
- The team of "protest apology" consists of six people and the network of lawyers in the country, which interact with us. Legal assistance is diverse. From consultations, departures to departments, protection in Russian courts and the European Court of Human Rights. In addition, help receive and victims of violence during protest shares. It is also claims to refuse to coordinate local actions and compensation for non-pecuniary damage for illegal prosecution to the liability of protesters. Criminal protection is also underway. We provide legal assistance throughout the spectrum of affairs related to a peaceful protest. Of course, in peak downloads, when mass promotions are passing, it is harder to work, but we try to assist everyone who appealed to us.
- How was the day of the action for you, the scale did not find surprise?
- To the protest campaign on January 23, we were preparing in advance: we communicated with lawyers in the regions and capitals. Most team members worked at the reception of communications in a separate account in Telegraph called Apologiahelp. The detainees write to this account if they need help. Our employees record these appeals, advise the detainees, and then coordinate lawyers and send them to the participants of the protest rallies. We also receive messages about violence with which protesters faced. Our lawyers took control of several cases, be sure to turn to the Investigation Committee - violence against peaceful protesters is unacceptable in a democratic society - we repeat these words once.
- How much does lawyers cooperate with you? Only in Moscow or in the regions too?
- January 23, definitely, was a difficult day, because we work throughout Russia. But the consciousness that we can help someone, we inspire us to work further and gives strength. Everyone deserves the right to participate in a peaceful rally, and we are actively fighting for this right and we will continue to fight, proving in the courts of different instances.
Only on the day of the action in support of Alexei Navalny 67 attorneys "APOLOGY OF PROTEST" worked in 28 cities of Russia: from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg. Our lawyers went out in 85 police departments and provided legal assistance to 1013 detainees. In addition, lawyers "APOLOGY protest" managed to visit 22 trials - they were protected by activists, mostly were employees of Navalny's headquarters and those activists who managed to condemn for alleged calls to participate in a peaceful protest action.
- How do you learn about the detainees to whom and where do you need help? How does coordination be coordination with other human rights organizations? How do you decide who and where will go?
- Thanks to good relations with our colleagues from OVD-INFO, we promptly solve issues with detainees, work is more efficient, and the detainees receive assistance to the maximum.
- Before the action and after it, has supported support from supporters? Grew by the number of donors? How noticeable?
- We launched crowdfunding quite recently, just a couple of days before the rally. For us, this is a novelty, so far it is hard to say about the results and nothing to compare. But many responded to our appeal. For the week we received more than 1,500 payments. We are grateful to everyone who sacrificed us with one, and those who subscribe to monthly donations.