Russian politicians Ilya Yashin, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Yulia Navalnaya announced an anti-war demonstration in Berlin on 17 November. Information about the event was published by the independent Russian media outlet Meduza. To organise the event, a Facebook page was created entitled ‘Anti-war march in Berlin on 17 November’.
Kara-Murza and Yashin are part of a group of 24 dissidents who were released in a prisoner exchange on 1 August. According to Yashin, the demonstration will demand the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the trial of Vladimir Putin as a war criminal and the release of all political prisoners.
“There is no possibility of organising protests in Russia, because people are brutally beaten and sentenced to huge terms,” Yashin said, adding that the action in Berlin is intended to demonstrate the existence of a peaceful and civilised Russia.
Yashin, who was arrested in June 2022 and sentenced to 8.5 years in prison on charges of discrediting the military, stressed the importance of the demonstration. He urged everyone who could to join the action: “Get together in groups, rent buses and come to Berlin in an organised manner.”
Yulia Navalnaya also called for participation in the rally, claiming that it was aimed at supporting democracy and anti-war forces, as well as helping Russians suffering under Putin’s regime. The video message from the three politicians confirmed their intention to join forces to support peace and freedom in Russia.
