July 18, 2024

"No One Should be Alone..."


"No One Should be Alone..."
An anonymous human rights defender. Novaya Vkladka

The human rights project OVD-Info was created in 2011 to help those detained at protests. It currently has more than five thousand volunteers. They not only process requests from people participating in mass protests, but also perform other tasks: decipher audio recordings, search for information, edit and translate texts, provide IT support and design.

D. ​​[name withheld for security reasons] has been working as an OVD-Info volunteer for six years. Drafting appeals to the ECHR, staff duty during large protests, and appeals are her usual to-do list.

According to the volunteer, it is important for her to engage in activities that are useful to other people: “If I didn’t do this, it would be worse for me.”

The most difficult time for D. is the emergency mode during large-scale protests, which in the internal language of OVD-Info is called “headquarters”.

"No matter how hard you try to take care of yourself, you can't. But perhaps the headquarters are what pulled me out when the war started. Because you have no time to think about yourself, it's easier for you to sit and cry because of other people [who were detained]."

In 2022, a police officer detained N. when she was hanging posters with anti-war slogans around St. Petersburg. N. is over 55 years old [her exact age is not given for security reasons], she sells books, and believes that "the city should speak" - she helps with this with her graffiti and stickers.

From the police department, N. called the OVD-Info hotline and a project advocate came to the department, helped the woman and even later managed to get the fine reduced.

Volunteer D. has firmly decided to stay in Russia, in order to help those who need help the most: "Who among us hasn't thought about leaving? But I think I'm not that old yet, I can clearly live to see better times."

And N. describes what's happening this way: "It's not just a time for small deeds, but for things that are completely sealed in asphalt." The most important thing for a woman now is to maintain her sense of self-worth and maintain ties with loved ones. And also "to do something beautiful, peaceful and beloved, if there is such an opportunity."

More stories about the lives of OVD-Info volunteers can be found (in Russian) at New Tab.

Translated from Bumaga summary.

Tags: youthdissent

You Might Also Like

With Mouths Sewn Shut
  • July 15, 2022

With Mouths Sewn Shut

Art is a powerful realm for protest. The Ukraine War has inspired a new wave of brave works.
Playwright and Director Sentenced
  • July 16, 2024

Playwright and Director Sentenced

The theater director and playwright have been in pre-trial detention for over a year on charges of "justifying terrorism." Now they've been sentenced.
A Mathematician in Prison. Again
  • February 28, 2024

A Mathematician in Prison. Again

Political prisoner Azat Miftakhov was arrested on charges of "justifying terrorism" immediately after being freed.
Piercing Russian Propaganda
  • May 12, 2022

Piercing Russian Propaganda

Russia's independent media has been destroyed in the wake of the Ukraine war. Which fearless outlets continue to report and need your help?
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955