Russian students are threatened with expulsion for participation in rallies - as in Belarus

Russian universities threaten students with expulsion for participating in unauthorized rallies organized by supporters of Alexei Navalny. A few days before the announced protest marches, students began to receive letters from the leadership of universities, in which they hint at the problems with their studies and possible deductions if students still go outside.

Kostroma State University

In the official group of Kostroma State University (KSU) at VKontakte, on January 20, a post appeared with the heading “Related to everyone”. In it, the university advises students to take into account that "do not be thoughtlessly supporting the crowd."

QUOTE
“Remember: according to the law (Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, article 20.2 p. - 6.1.) For participation in an unauthorized meeting, rally, demonstration, procession or picket ... There is an administrative fine for citizens in the amount of 10 to 20 thousand rubles, or mandatory work for up to 100 hours, or administrative arrest for up to 15 days. Know: You are personal responsibility for participation, for example, in an unauthorized rally, destroy your reputation and throw a shadow at your native university. "&

(spelling and punctuation are preserved).

The KSU student Irina ( the full name is at the disposal of the editorial office ) told the “new” that her classmates were outraged by this behavior of the leadership. According to her, it is precisely such posts in the official groups of the university that “throw a shadow at their native university”, and not students participating in the actions.

“It is ridiculous that in pairs, we are rightfully told that we have freedom of speech, but in fact it turns out that, according to the university, freedom of speech“ destroys our reputation ”

Says a student of KSU.

Bashkir State University

Bashkir State University announced Saturday, January 23, by a school day. Messages about this, according to university students, began to be sent in training groups.

QUOTE
“In connection with the failure to fulfill the curriculum on January 23, Saturday, declared a working day. The turnout of all employees and students for classes is strictly required !!! "

It also clarifies that at the end of the working day lists of absent people will be compiled, which later “will be redirected to the ministry” ( not indicated which one . - Ed. ).

Russian University of Transport (MIIT)

MIIT in his official VKontakte group posted a post in which he threatened students with disciplinary sanctions for participating in unauthorized events.

QUOTE

“Students Ruth (MIIT) must comply with the duties provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation (paragraph 125.6 of the University Charter). For violation of the laws of the Russian Federation, disciplinary sanctions may be applied to the student: a comment, reprimand or expulsion from the university if information on the commission of the offense is transferred to the university (paragraph 128 of the University Charter). We urge you to express your civil position in accordance with the current legislation of the Russian Federation. ”

Financial University

A student at the Financial University told Novye that his acquaintances had tested and exams from January 21 and 22 to the 23rd. According to him, they explained this by the desire to "avoid the appearance of their own students at rallies."

Among the students of the financial university itself, a letter allegedly sent by the manager of the faculty of the Higher School of Management Lidia Orlova began to spread, which states that the question of the expulsion of students noticed on the shares on January 23 will be raised. Later, Lidia Orlova sent a statement to students that neither she nor the faculty had anything to do with this mailing list. However, then an appeal appeared on the official portal of the university, in which, in connection with the “distribution of calls to participate in unauthorized mass events,” students are asked to “show civic consciousness and not succumb to provocation”.

Moscow State University. Physics and Feature

Students of the physical faculty of Moscow State University talked about a message with threats of deductions, which began to spread in their groups. This was written by the telegram channel "Protest MSU".

QUOTE

“The Ethics of the Moscow State University in paragraph 4.2 says“ not to allow public order violations ”,“ to occupy a fundamental position in cases of violation of the Ethics Code ”. In the case of January 23: the rally is inconsistent. According to paragraphs 5 and 6.1 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation, participation in an inconsistent rally is an administrative offense, which is suitable for one of the points of the Ethics Code of Moscow State University ”

The Chairman of the Student Council of the Physics and Enterprise Eduard Ibrahimov, commenting on the situation of Novaya Gazeta, said that the administration of the faculty did not send threats:

“We have already found out the circumstances. Information was not confirmed, these are the private thoughts of our students,

And not the warning of the administration. I sincerely understand the attention to this topic, but in the case of our faculty, this is ordinary misinformation. ”

National Research Nuclear University "MEPhI"

MEPhI students report that for participating in the shares of January 23, the university administration threatens them with a prohibition of practice in Rosatom. Students were also asked to “immediately report” about their classmates, which are in public with information about preparation for rallies.

What to do?

Mikhail Lobanov, a teacher of the Mehmat MSU and a member of the University Solidarity trade union, told the “new” that such threats (due to the fact that they are not yet massive) can be attributed to the initiative of individual administration workers: “It cannot be ruled out that this is some kind of catching from above, but so far there are not so many threats so that it was possible to talk about it with confidence. So far, in theory, everything can be attributed to the initiative of local university seconded employees of the FSB and the administration. ”

According to Lobanov,

The administration and university management should not decide whether a student or teacher has the right to participate in certain public actions.

“If this happens outside and out of working hours, then this is exclusively the right of a person to decide what to participate in. No threats have a place to be here, and we, as an educational community, should react quite hard in this situation and protect our colleagues and classmates. I believe that there are no grounds for deductions due to detentions at the rally. Human studies are not connected with this. There are some rubber formulations from ethical codes that can be adjusted to anything, but it will be arbitrariness from the administration. In essence, students and teachers have the right to participate in social activities outside the university, ”says the teacher.

Dmitry Navosh, the founder of the Solidarity Fund with Belarusians, dismissed from work due to participation in rallies, called the intimidation of Russian students by expulsion for participating in rallies "Lukashist totalitarian practice imported by Russia." In Belarus, 300 students were expelled for participation in protests, according to Alexander Lukashenko.

“It is impossible to exclude situations, as in Belarus. We must remember that what was happening there is unacceptable. The entire educational community must decisively respond to these threats so that we do not have a situation, as in Belarus, ”Mikhail Lobanov said.

- If you begin to call you for “conversations” for your political activity, then inform your friends, turn on voice recorders and do not be afraid.

Specifically at Moscow State University, if you yourself are not afraid, do not raise your hands up before the threat, but inform classmates, teachers, the public, then people will stand on your side. There are organizations like “university solidarity” that will help you. With a very high probability, you will achieve that you continue to study further. I myself fell into such a situation. At Moscow State University, if a person does not give up, then he wins. In other universities, the situation may vary slightly. If you have no trade unions, then contact friends and classmates. They are afraid of mass. Often, such threats may be the initiative of a particular member of the administration, which is connected with some local Ephesians, and the rector was not needed at all. ”