For many years, our project, Political Prisoners Memorial, has maintained a register of political prisoners in Russia. It now lists over 1,400 names. This represents only a small fraction of those whose imprisonment, in our assessment, shows clear signs of political motivation and illegality. Yet for those included on our list, we are certain of one thing: every one of them should be free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We recognise that it may be unrealistic to expect the immediate release of all political prisoners. There are, however, at least twenty individuals whose freedom calls particularly for humanity and compassion. They are mothers who have been separated from their underage children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their release is especially urgent because imprisonment also punishes their children. Nothing can replace a mother\u2019s love and care, whose importance in a child\u2019s life cannot be overstated. Separation from their mothers causes suffering to children who are innocent in every respect and should not bear the burden of punishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Article 38 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation states that \u201cmaternity, childhood and the family shall be protected by the State.\u201d Article 82 of the Russian Criminal Code reflects the same principle, providing for the possibility of deferring a sentence for mothers whose children are under fourteen. Even where this provision could not be applied, we appeal to a higher principle: mercy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That mercy may be exercised through an act of amnesty or a presidential pardon. There is precedent for this: in 2013, dozens of political prisoners were released in this way. Returning these twenty mothers to their children poses no threat to the authorities and carries no danger to society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We, the independent human rights project Political Prisoners. Memorial, together with the undersigned, call for the swift release of these twenty women and their return to their children. Their names are listed below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Svetlana Khustik
Elena Abramova
Anastasia Berezhinskaya
Viktoria Brazhnik
Kseniya Garina
Oksana Hladkykh
Polina Evtushenko
Surlana Enchinova
Anastasia Zibrova
Olga Komleva
Kristina Lyubashenko
Maria Makhmutova
Yulia Mirzalieva
Tetyana Omelchenko
Olga Petrova
Maria Ponomarenko
Elvira Saifullina
Yulia Stanyka
Marina Tokareva
Saniya Uzyanbayeva<\/p>\n\n\n\n