Anti-War Activists Facing Deportation from Finland to Russia: Public Campaign Launched

We have received numerous messages from people concerned about the fate of anti-war activists Olga and Nikita Belov, who are facing deportation from Finland to Russia through a closed border.

On behalf of our human rights organization Initiative FoReDi, we have taken the following actions:

— We brought the situation into the public sphere and secured media coverage in both Russian and Finnish outlets.

— We connected our clients with lawyers, including Gleb Gerber, Karinna Moskalenko, and Leonid Krikun.

— We are working to prevent the deportation, including through mechanisms of the European Court of Human Rights.

— We engaged the Ukrainian diaspora in Finland, which is actively supporting them.

— Public figure and film director Alexander Rodnyansky joined efforts to help stop the deportation: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXjfkO7DCsx/

— We sent an official appeal to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Finland, Mykhailo Vydoynyk.

— We are preparing appeals to Russian representatives at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

— We are also exploring options for relocation to third countries, if possible.

At the moment, Olga and Nikita are being held in the Metsälä detention center in Helsinki. Activists are raising funds to provide them with basic necessities, as they were not allowed to take their personal belongings at the time of detention.

If you would like to support Olga and Nikita, you can contact coordinator Svetlana Utkina. More details about their case: https://www.rulehti.fi/?p=36131

We also remind you that on April 28 at 8:00 AM, Queer Asylum: Finland is organizing a support action — more information: https://www.foredi.fi/en/post/support-rally-for-anti-war-activist-roman-golikov