We, the undersigned, condemn the brutal and violent attack on Andrey Rudomakha and members of Environmental Watch on the North Caucasus, which occurred in Krasnodar, Russia on the evening of December 28, 2017. We demand that the Russian authorities conduct a swift, full, and thorough investigation into the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.
In the late evening of December 28, 2017, Andrey Rudomakha, an environmental and human rights defender from Krasnodar, Russia, was brutally attacked as he returned from an environmental inspection documenting corruption and environmental violations on the Black Sea coast. Rudomakha, the leader of Environmental Watch on the North Caucasus, was severely beaten by three men who were waiting for him and his colleagues as they exited their vehicle at approximately 10:20 PM in Krasnodar. According to members of the organization, Andrey was beaten and kicked in the face and lost consciousness. Another member of the organization, Viktor Chirikov, was punched in the stomach, and a third member was sprayed with pepper spray. The attackers also stole equipment from the vehicle, including cameras and computers. The attackers were wearing balaclavas and disappeared quickly after the attack.
Rudomakha was taken to the hospital by ambulance and is currently undergoing treatment. He has a broken nose and a fractured skull and is suffering from a concussion.
This is not the first time that EWNC has been the victim of a violent attack. In April 2017, the organization’s office was broken into and ransacked, and equipment was stolen. In September 2016, members of EWNC and Greenpeace Russia were violently attacked on private property in the middle of the night during a volunteer fire-brigade training.
EWNC has also been included in the “foreign agents” list and has been the subject of numerous administrative and criminal lawsuits that are designed to stop them from engaging in their environmental work. Since 2010, over 70 violations against EWNC have been documented, including numerous physical attacks against members of the organization.[1]
EWNC is an environmental organization that works throughout the North Caucasus region, and Andrey Rudomakha is its founder and leader. The group was founded in the 1990s and has worked to protect the environment and local communities throughout the North Caucasus region of Russia. EWNC was instrumental in leading the public campaign against the environmental violations associated with the Sochi Olympics, and its members have been routinely persecuted for that and other environmental campaigning.
We, the undersigned, demand that the Russian government—and the authorities in Krasnodar Krai—conduct a swift and full investigation into this latest attack on Andrey Rudomakha and other members of EWNC and bring the perpetrators to justice. The persecution of EWNC must be stopped. As Russia’s “Year of the Environment” comes to a close, the government must demonstrate its commitment to protecting stewards of the environment, including environmental heroes like Andrey Rudomakha.
- Kate Watters, Crude Accountability, United States
- Vladimir Petrovich Zakharov, Forest.RU, Russia
- Sergey Vorsin, Russia
- Anna Andreychuk, Center for the Use of New, Environmentally Safe Technology, Kazakhstan
- Askhat Kayumov, Dront, Socio-Ecological Union, Russia
- Vladimir Desyatov, Green Russia, Russia
- Sergey Shapkhaev, Buryat Regional Association for Baikal, Russia
- Sviatoslav Zabelin, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1993, Socio-Ecological Union, Russia
- Larisa Chernigovtseva, Moscow, Russia
- Eleanor Sutter, United States
- Tanja Nyberg, United States
- Nadia Valueva, Magnitsky Act Initiative, United States
- Dmitry Valuev, Magnitsky Act Initiative, United States
- Catherine Cosman, United States
- Kirill Boychenko, Cotton Campaign, United States
- Jennifer Castner, The Altai Project, United States
- Catherine A. Fitzpatrick, The Interpreter, United States
- Tom Kahan, TimetoGetSmarter.com, United States
- Debbie Brusco, United States
- Sande Smith, United States
- Olga Blatova, Russian Social-Ecological Union, Russia
- Petru Botnaru, Terra-1530, Moldova
- Yaroslav Nikitenko, Habitat Movement, Russia
- Ikal Angelei, Friends of Lake Turkana, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2012, Kenya
- Bobby Peek, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1998, South Africa
- Desmond D’Sa, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2014, South Africa
- Craig Williams, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2006, United States
- Oscar Rivas, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2000, Paraguay
- Elias Diaz Pena, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2000, Paraguay
- Janos Vargha, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1990
- Michal Kravcik, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1999, Slovakia
- Myint Zaw, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2015, Myanmar
- Howard Wood, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2015, Scotland
- Olga Speranskaya, Eco-Accord, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2009, Russia
- Bruno van Peteghem, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2001, ATC, France
- Prafulla Samantara, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2017, India
- Luis Jorge Rivera-Herrera, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2016, Puerto Rico
- Yuyun Ismawati, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2009, Indonesia
- John Sinclair, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1993, Australia
- Randall Arauz, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2010, Costa Rica
- Maria Gunnoe, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2009, United States
- Bulat Yessekin, National Water Partnership, Kazakhstan
- Andrey Laletin, Friends of the Siberian Forests, Russia
- Kristian RInchinov, Buryat Regional Union on Lake Baikal, Russia
- Elena Kreuzberg, Holarctic Bridges, Canada
- Modest Sokolov, Volunteer Movement Defend Siversy Forest, Russia
- Mariia Ruzina, Volunteer Movement Save Utrish, Russia
- Olga Murashko, Aborigen-Forum, Russia
- Igor Shkradyuk, Biodiversity Conservation Center, Russia
- Mikhail J. Pletz, freelancer, Serbia
- Humberto Rios Labrada, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2010, Cuba
- Jadwiga Lopata, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2002, Poland
- Rossano Ercolini, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2013, Italy
- Vera Mischenko, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2000, Russia
- Ignace Schops, Europarc Federation, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2008, Belgium
- Yusup Kamalov, Union for the Defense of the Aral Sea and Amudarya, Karakalpakstan
- Rodion Sulyandziga, Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Russia
- Jean Wiener, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2015, Haiti
- Jeffer Castelo Branco, ACPO, Brazil
- Sergij Fedorynchyk, InfoCentre of Ukrainian Environment “Zeleny Svit,” Ukraine
- Robin Schneider, Texas Campaign for the Environment, United States
- Alexandra Caterbow, Health and Environment Justice Support International, Germany
- Laila Iskandar, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1994, Egypt
- Juan Pablo Orrego, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1997, Ecosistema, Chile
- Anna Giordano, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1998, Italy
- Christine Jean, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1992, France
- Lynn Henning, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2010, United States
- Richard Navarro, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1995, El Salvador
- Nat Quansah, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2000, Madagascar
- Nohra Padill, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2013, Colombia
- Alexander Federov, Association of Journalists-Environmentalists of the Russian Journalists Union, All-Russian Civil Forum, EU-Russia Civil Society Forum, Russia
- Alexander Kolotov, Plotina.Net!, Russia
- Tarcisio Feitosa, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2006, Brazil
- Giorgos Catsadorakis, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2001, Greece
- Alexander Nikitin, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1997, Russia
- Paul Cox, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1997, Western Samoa
- Timur Idrisov, Little Earth, Tajikistan
- Daria Egereva, Aborigen-Forum, Russia
- Andrew Simons, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1994, St.Vincents and Grenadines
- Ilia Tsonev, National Association of Beekeeping, Bulgaria
- Kaisha Atakhanova, Ecoforum KZ, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2005, Kazakhstan
- Svetlana Mogiliuk, EKOM, Kazakhstan
- Nikolai Sobolev, Center for the Protection of Wild Nature, Russia
- Andrey Danilov, Aborigen-Forum, Director of the Foundation of Sami Heritage and Development, Russia
- Mariya Yasenovska, KRF Public Alternative, Ukraine
- Elena Tonkacheva, Legal Transformation Center, Belarus
- Tatsiana Reviaka, Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House, Belarus
- Avetik Ishkhanyan, Helsinki Committee, Armenia
- Alena Karaliova, Human Rights Group, “Citizen.Army.Law,” Russia
- Anara Ibraeva, Public Association “Dignity,” Kazakhstan
- Svetlana Astrakhantseva, Moscow Helsinki Group, Russia
- Elena Shakhova, Citizen’s Watch, Russia
- Erida Skendaj, Albanian Helsinki Committee, Albania
- Eldar Zeynalov, Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan
- Vadym Pyvovarov, Association UMDPL, Ukraine
- Krassimir Kanev, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Bulgaria
- Human Rights Club, Azerbaijan
- Yuri Dzhibladze, Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, Russia
- Tolekan Ismailova, Bir Duino, Kyrgyzstan
- Lars Bunger, Libereco—Partnership for Human Rights, Germany
- Stefan Melle, DRA, Germany
- Haykuhi Harutyunyan, Protection of Rights without Border, Armenia
- Mike Franey, Acorn Aid, United Kingdom
- Galina Stanislavovna Sibiryakova, Drevo Baikala, Russia
- Tjan Zatoschnaya, The Society for Threatened People, Germany
- Yuri Vasilievich Azhichakov, Territorial Public Association Kelisna, Russia
- Sergey Georgievich Teplinskiy, Russia
- Anatoliy Lebedev, Bureau of Regional Socio-Ecological Campaigns, Russia
- Andrey Suknev, Association Bolshaya Baikalskaya Tropa-Buryatia, Russia
- Pavel Antonov, BlueLink Foundation, Bulgaria
- Aileen Lucero, Ecological Waste Coalition, Philippines
- David Gordon, Environmental and Philanthropic Advisor, United States
- Natalya Cherevko, Public Environmental Council of the Eastern Administrative Region, Moscow, Russia
- Borislav Sandov, Zelenite, Bulgaria
- Marie Therese Merhej Seif, Human Environmental Association for Development, Lebanon
- Gunnar M. Ekelove-Slydal, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Norway
- Pamela Wilkinson, United States
- Robert Orttung, George Washington University, United States
- Leanne Grossman, United States
- Natalya Porechina, “Zelenaya Set,” Belarus
- Andrey Zatoka, Environmentalist, former Turkmen prisoner of conscience, Russia
- Olga Talamante, United States
- J. Grossman, United States
- Susan Jonas, United States
- China Brodsky, United States
- Lora Jo Foo, United States
- Sara Syer, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, United States
- Tom Bodenheimer, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, United States
- Nikita Vronski, Russian Indigenous Training Centre, Russia
- Uranija Pirovska, Macedonian Helsinki Committee, Macedonia
- Danuta Przywara, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
- Aleh Hulak, BXK
- Brigitte Dufour, International Partnership For Human Rights, Belgium
- Yevgeniy Zhovtis, Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Kazakhstan
- Alexei Kozlov, SOLIDARUS,
- Natalia Taubina, Public Verdict, Russia
- Artur Sakunts, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, Armenia
- Nina Karapetyants, Helsinki Association, Armenia
- Liz Khin Hnin Hlaing, IFI Watch Myanmar, Myanmar (Burma)
- Maria Gil Beroes, Fundacion Aguaclara, Venezuela
- Kathy Dervin, United States
- Dmitry Berezhkov, Artic Consult, Norway
- Vitaliy Valentinovich Ryabtsev, Irkutsk Dept. of the Socio-Ecological Union, Russia
- Marina Rikhvanova, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2008, Baikal Expeditions, Russia
- Manana Kochladze, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 2004, Green Alternative, Georgia
- Emma Gileva, Black Sea Centre for Environmental Information and Education, Bulgaria
- Dilbar Klado, Fund Yablokov, Russia
- Valeriy Aleksandrovich Brinikh, Adygei Republican Dept. of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Nature, Russia
- Igor Ogorodnikov, Ecodom, Russia
- Paul Goble, United States
- Tatiana Chestina, Environmental NGO ECA, Russia
- Sebastien Peyrouse, George Washington University, United States
- Oleg Bodrov, Public Council of the South Coast of the Gulf of Finland, Russia
- Vladimir Nazarenko, Rostov Regional Public Organization, Parusnaya Akademiya, Russia
- Aleskander Arbachakov, Kemerovo regional public association Agency for Research and Protection of the Taiga, Russia
- Vladimir Belogolovov, Eastern Siberian Centerfor the Suppport of the Fund for Sustainable Development, Russia
- Naji Kodeih, IndyACT, Lebanon
- Mirvari Gahramanli, Oil Workers’ Rights Protection Organization Public Union, Azerbaijan
- Leila Alieva, Regional Center for Strategic Studies, Azerbaijan
- Miguel Martin Zumalacarregui, World Organization Against Torture, Belgium
- Alexander Verkhovsky, Sova Center for Information and Analysis, Russia
- Alex Raufoglu, Eurasia Media Institute, United States
- Alex Levinson, Pacific Environment, United States
- Audrey Altstadt, University of Massachusetts, History Department, United States
- Diana Serebryannik, Rights and Freedom for the Citizens of Turkmenistan, Czech Republic
- Alexey Knizhnikov, World Wildlife Fund, Russia
- Allison Gill, human rights researcher and advocate, United States
- Ram Charitra Sah, CEPHED, Nepal
- Kamese N. Geoffrey, National Association of Professional Environmentalists, Uganda
- Neil Tangri, United States
- Yuruk Isik, Turkey
- Sara Theiss, United States
- Pamela Miller, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, United States
- Francois Veillerette, Generations Futures, France
- Ginny Whitelaw, Institute for Zen Leadership, United States
- Xavier Sun, Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Taiwan
- Janelle Vasquez, United States
- Catherine Wallace, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1991, New Zealand
- Dominique Bally, African Center for Environmental Health
- Lyudmila Dmitrievna Andrianova, Russia
- Tatyana Lysenko, Adygeya branch of All-Russian Society for the Conservation of Nature, Russia
- Carlo Alberto Ricardo, Goldman Environmental Prize Winner, 1992, Instituto Socuoambiental, Brazil
- Yevgeniy Vitishko, Yabloko, Russia
- Andrey Ozharovskiy, Russian Socio-Ecological Union, Russia
- Mina Goldenberg, Transfer of Green Technology, Israel
- Aleksander Yagodin, Laboratory for Early Warning of Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions, Israel
- Aaron Bendrich, “Or Sinay” Green Movement, Israel
- Olexi Pasyuk, Central and East European Bankwatch Network
- Rebekah Levin, Human Rights Now, United States
- Vitaly Servetnik, Russian Social-Ecological Union/Friends of the Earth, Russia
- Tatiana Artemova, Posev Magazine, Russia
- Harry Hummel, Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Netherlands
- Katie Morris, Article 19, United Kingdom
- Gulim Amirkhanova, media specialist, Kazakhstan
- Ksenia Vakhrusheva, EU-Russia Civil Society Forum, Russia
- Huub Scheele, X minusY solidarity Fund, Netherlands
- Ales Beliatski, Human rights Center “Viasna,” Belarus
- Erika Leonaite, Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Lithuania
- Natalia Vladimirovna Kalinina, Amur Environmental Club, “Ulukitkan,” Russia
- James Boissonnault, United States
- Galina Chernova, Globus, Kazakhstan
- Evgeny Simonov, International Coalition, Rivers without Borders, Russia
- Maarten Bosland, Human Rights Now, USA
- Marsha Love, Human Rights Now, USA
- Michael Levin, Human Rights Now, USA
- Liubov Volkova, Sotsialnoe Partnerstvo, Russia
- Valeriy Borshchev, Sotsialnoe Partnerstvo, Russia
- Andrey Kovatchev, BALKANI Wildlife Society, Bulgaria
- Anthony Asta, Human Rights Now, United States
- Joseph Denougbeto, Ong La Grande Puissance De Dieu, Benin
- Mary Ann DeBruin, Human Rights Now, United States
- Anastasia Andreevna Kochneva, Arkhangelsk Regional Youth Environmental Public Organization, “Aetas,” Russia
- Antonina Alekseevna Kulyasova, Center for Independent Sociological Research, Russia
- Erich Pica, Friends of the Earth, United States
- Jeong ok Kong, Supporters for Health and Rights of People in Semiconductor Industry, South Korea
- Vladimir Zhilkin, Open Russia, Tambov
- Yana Gennadievna Antonova, Open Russia, Krasnodar
- Oksana Anatolievna Mihaylik, Belgorod
- Suren Gazaryan, Goldman Prize Winner 2014
- Jan Samanek, Arnika, Czech Republic
- Dr. Francisco Mercado Calderón, Centro de Investigacion Laboral y D Asesoria Sindical, A. C., Mexico
- Savva Mikhail, Doctor of Political Science, Professor, Chairman of the board of Nonprofit Organization Expert Group «Owl», Ukraine
- Arina Lisovez, Yabloko, Russia
- Evgeniya Shinevskaya, Yabloko, Russia
- Nikolai Rybakov, Yabloko, Russia
- Sofi Rusova, Yabloko, Russia
- Boris Vishnevski, Yabloko, Russia
- Sergey Mitrokhin, Yabloko, Russia
- Lydmila Petrova, Angel, Kazakhstan
-
Kim Bukharin, Russia
-
Yulia Naberezhnaya, Sochi branch of the Russian Geographical Society, Russia
- Michelle Kingman, USA
- Knud Vocking, Urgewald, Germany
- Natalia Fortoul, Krasnodar, Russia
- Kellie Bingman, USA
- Oleg Peregon, Journalist, Chairman of the Coordinating Council of NGO “Green Front”, Kharkov, Ukraine
- Lyudmila Dmitrievna Andrianova, Russian Social Ecological Union, Moscow, Russia
- Artur Grigoryan, Ecological Right NGO, Armenia
- Valentina Cherevatenko, Women of Don, Russia
- Anna Schreilechner, Austrian Helsinki Association
- Valeriy Menshikov, Center for Russian Environmental Policy, Russia
- Victor Lukarevsky, Russia
- Stephanie Fried, Ulu Foundation, USA
- Gilbert Kuepouo, Ph.D., CREPD, Cameroon
- Alena Bazhenova, Russia
- Nataliya Stanovova, Russia
- Alla Nikonorova, Governor’s Public Environmental Council of Krasnodar, Russia
- Jennifer Gable, USA
- Marina Kuleshova, Geographer, Independent Expert on Cultural Heritage Protection, member of the Science Council for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
- Michael Musenga, Children’s Environmental Health Foundation, Zambia
- Irina Sergeevna Reznikova, Russian Socio – Ecological Union, Kostroma Region
- Ellen Eidem, USA
- Mwadhini O. Myanza, Executive Director, Irrigation Training and Economic Empowerment Organization – IRTECO, Tanzania
- Muyunda Ililonga, Executive Director, Zambia Consumer Association, Zambia
- Oruba Al Refai, Land and Human to Advocate Progress NGO, Jordan
- Penchom Saetang, Ecological Alert and Recovery – Thailand (EARTH), Thailand
- Silvani Mng’anya, AGENDA, Tanzania
- Vladimir Kimayev, member of the EWNC Council, Sochi, Russia
- Natalia Tumureeva, Buryat Regional Association for Lake Baikal, Russia
- Valentina Yamschikova, Co-chairmen of the Kostroma Public Ecological Movement “In the Name of Life”, Russia
- Valeriy Ledovskoy, Chairman of the “Green Russia” faction in the Stavropol Krai, Russia
- Irina Safronova, Yabloko Party, Rostov, Russia
- Anna Shahnazaryan, Environmental Activist, Armenia
- Tatyana Grigoryevna Tribrat, Member of the EW Council, Russia
- Artem Sosipatrov, NGO “Green Front”, Ukraine
- Ihor Rassokha PhD, Professor of the Department of History and Cultural Study, O. M. Beketov National University of the Urban economy in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Adviser on a voluntary basis of the chairman of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration. NGO “Green Front”. Kharkiv. Ukraine.
- Igor Gudenko, NGO “Green Front”, Kharkiv, Ukraine
- Iryna Goncharova, NGO “Green Front”. Kharkiv. Ukraine
- Tetyana Buryakovska, journalist, Kharkiv, Ukraine
- Ursula Sladek, Elektrizitätswerke Schönau, Germany
- Semia Gharbi, AEEFG, Tunisia
- Dmitry Lisitsyn, Sakhalin Environment Watch, Russia
- Tamara Kuragina, Russia
- Public Foundation “Socio-Ecological Fond”, Kazakhstan
- Multi-profile non-commercial holding “Koldau-Kazakhstan”, Kazakhstan
- Public Association “Echo”, Kazakhstan
- Vadim Ni, Kazakhstan
- Galima Akhmetova, Kazakhstan
- Maria Lobacheva, Kazakhstan
- Adilbek Kozybakov, Kazakhstan
- Zufar Tokpayev, Kazakhstan
- Sergey Tsoi, Kazakhstan
- Sakan Aubakirova, Kazakhstan
- Azhar Dzhandosova, Kazakhstan
- Dana Zhandaeva, Kazakhstan
- Dina Ni, Kazakhstan
- Nurzhan Ayazbayev, Kazakhstan
- Lyudmila Kurtavtseva, Kazakhstan
- Lyudmila Mikhailova, Kazakhstan
- Yevgeny Klimov, Foundation for the Formation of Ecological Culture, Kazakhstan
- Saule Sadykova, Kazakhstan
- Elina Doszhanova, Kazakhstan
- Vera Mustafina, Kazakhstan
- Zulfira Zikrina, Center for Sustainable Production and Consumption, Kazakhstan
- Kuralay Karibayeva, Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development, Kazakhstan
- Aidar Kapasov, Human Health Institute, Kazakhstan
- Nadezhda Pustolaykina, Balkhash Ecocenter, Kazakhstan
- Kirill Osin, NPO “Eco Mangistau”, Aktau, Kazakhstan
- Jyldyz Duishenova, Kyrgyzstan
- Lola Elmuratova, Kyrgyzstan
- Alexey Zimenko, Russia
- Mercedes De Freitas, Transparencia Venezuela, Venezuela
- Mr. Baboucarr Mbye, Stay Green Gambia, Gambia
- Sergey Kuratov, Ecological Society Green Salvation, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Natalia Medvedeva, Ecological Society Green Salvation, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Svetlana Spatar, Ecological Society Green Salvation, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Brandi Geurkink, International Civil Society Centre, Germany
[1] https://crudeaccountability.org/