Scientists called to stop confrontation and begin dialogue

Today, February 1, 78 scientists from Russia, Australia, Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Canada, the USA, France and South Korea came up with the appeal "to stop the growing confrontation and turn to cooperation and dialogue."

The appeal was published by the newspaper "Trinity option - science." Among those who signed it, Andrei Gam, Mikhail Gelfand, Sergey Guriev, Vladimir Zakharov, Andrey Zorin, Askold Ivanchik, Evgeny Kunin, Konstantin Novoselov, Roald Sagdeev, Konstantin Sonin, Alexander Etkind.

The appeal begins with the words: “The world community has encountered many global problems and contradictions that intensified against the backdrop of coronavirus pandemia. On the same background, extremely alarming and dangerous events in Russia develop, negatively affecting both the state of society and the country's relations with the international community. These events include the poisoning and arrest in Russia of the opposition policy of Alexei Navalny, cruel treatment of peaceful protesters and political persecution of disagreements, as well as a tendency to self -isolation and strengthening of Russia's confrontation with other countries. ”

The document is divided into three parts. The first part is entitled "the inadmissibility of the use of chemical weapons, the need to investigate the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, as well as the cessation of the political persecution of his and his supporters."

The second part is devoted to observing the rights of citizens of the Russian Federation to a peaceful meeting and the need for a dialogue between the authorities and society. The authors of the appeal express indignation at the facts of violence by law enforcement officers regarding peaceful demonstrators and calling for the Russian authorities to honest dialogue with the whole society.

“It is necessary to stop the actual ban on peaceful assemblies and rallies, as well as arrests, criminal prosecution and any use of power methods against peaceful demonstrators,” the document says.

Scientists complet the third part of their appeal with a call to use the potential of international cooperation to jointly combat global threats to humanity, as well as to reduce contradictions and strengthen mutual understanding between countries.