Arrest of a newspaper distributor in the Irkutsk region

On November 25, 2005, trade union activist Alexander Kolyvanov was arrested in the city of Shelekhov, Irkutsk Region, for distributing newspapers at the Irkutsk aluminum plant (IrkAZ, part of the SUAL holding).

Alexander Kolyvanov distributed a newspaper at the plant calling for the creation of independent trade unions.

On the morning of November 25, 2005, police, accompanied by plant guards, searched Kolyvanov's apartment in Shelekhov, after which he was taken to the police department.

Then A. Kolyvanov was brought for "interrogation" to the plant's security service. He was accused of distributing the Shelekhovsky Rabochiy newspaper at the plant and was asked to name the workers involved in distributing the newspaper and those involved in syndicalist activities in Shelekhov and Irkutsk.

Kolyvanov was told that the Irkutsk activists were being investigated by the FSB, were shown two inquiries from the factory security service to the FSB about the newspaper, and provided evidence of wiretapping (and possibly email). Under pressure, the detainee admitted that he had indeed distributed the newspaper and signed the protocol. "It is important for the security service of the plant to destroy the circulation of the newspaper, and the FSB will take care of the rest ," he was told.

Security officials also said that the group, of which Alexander Markin is a member , will be closed "for preparing for a terrorist attack," since it is in a secure enterprise.

Sources

• Arrest of a trade union activist in Shelekhov... for distributing newspapers at the SUAL plant // Institute "Collective Action". 2005. November 25.
• Details of the detention of Alexander Kolyvanov // Institute "Collective Action". 2005. November 28.