ZHUK
Helping politically persecuted people flee Russia
Helping politically persecuted people flee Russia
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We are a cyber-partisan initiative consisting of anonymous members who call themselves "bugs\zhuks". For bugs, there are no borders or prohibitions. They live in / work from different countries and help politically persecuted people to escape from Russian security services that want to imprison them for many years because of their opposition or protest activities against the criminal regime.
This is how our name came about: “Vyvozhuk” in Russian language is a wordplay based on two words — “evacuation” and “bugs”.
The bugs guard your freedom and are ready to help at any time if security services are trying to catch you for telling the truth.
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Since Feb 24 2022 (the start of a full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine), repressions in Russia reached a new level. You can get a prison sentence for the word “war” on social networks, for spreading anti-war leaflets, or for any disagreement with the regime.
detentions for anti-war stance
under “protest” articles
administrative cases for discrediting the Russian army (20.3.3)
politically motivated criminal cases
cases of extrajudicial pressure (threats, dismissals)
And this is only an incomplete statistic. The number of political prisoners recognized by human rights organizations is growing every day.
The bugs suggest not to wait for your verdict and to counteract the security services of the Russian Federation. We are stronger than they are, and we have already proven it.
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The working day of a bug can start at any time, even during the night. This is a long and difficult labour on which people's freedom depends. Over the past year, our wards flew almost throughout the entire territory of Russia, starting from its central part and ending with the Siberian cities. We helped them to overcome thousands of kilometers of road.They tried to catch our wards on the road as well as the bugs helping the wards to escape, but the bugs still managed to find safe routes for the wards and rescue them from Russian special services.
Along the way, we made many new friends. Now we are collaborating with human rights organizations in Germany, France, Poland, Central Asia, and Caucasus, as well as Russian ones.
During our work, we received 700 requests
consultations provided
people evacuated
the evacuees:
politically persecuted
their family members
63% open criminal case
9% police rade
7% undergo serial administrative arrests or witnesses in criminal cases with the threat of reclassification as suspects
5% administrative supervision after prison
3% tortures
2% mobilization as a form of political pressure
11% face other forms of politically motivated police pressure (threats to activists, journalists, their families, and unjustified arrests or detentions)
48%
political activists, including LGBT activists and members of anti-war movements
26%
Workers: teachers, doctors, scientists, etc.
10%
human rights defenders
7%
journalists
6%
artists, cultural workers
3%
Persecution for religious political affairs
Among these people there are not only Russian citizens, but also citizens of Belarus and Ukraine who were persecuted in Russia.
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For communications bugs use only encrypted Element messenger. By writing to our hotline [zhuk_hotline:matrix.org], you can quickly get advice on your situation.
If you have problems with the messenger, leave a request for help in an anonymous form on the encrypted disk "Cryptpad" and leave your contacts in Signal or Telegram (or better yet, in both messengers).
Also, if you are on the international wanted list of the Russian Federation in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, contact us and describe your situation in detail through a questionnaire or hotline.
Instructions on how to download Element and how to use it can be found here:
Video Instruction
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CONTACT US
If you are a journalist or researcher or you have other questions not related to evacuation, contact us by email:
zhuk_info@proton.meHotline @zhuk_hotline:matrix.org (Element messenger)
