TENS OF THOUSANDS IN RUSSIA CALL FOR RELEASE OF OPPOSITION LEADER

TENS OF THOUSANDS IN RUSSIA CALL FOR RELEASE OF JAILED OPPOSITION LEADER

KARISA YUASA

Following the arrest of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Jan. 17, tens of thousands of his supporters have taken to the streets despite below-freezing temperatures and mass arrests, according to AP News.

Navalny was arrested for violating the terms of a suspended jail sentence the day after he returned to Russia after recovering from a nerve agent poisoning last summer. Navalny was ordered to remain in custody for 30 days.

“Don’t be afraid, take to the streets,” Navalny said in a video statement. “Don’t come out for me, come out for yourselves and your future.”

Videos posted on social media sites such as TikTok, Youtube and Instagram helped spread information and organize protests. Federal media and IT watchdog Roskomnadzor told TikTok to block the videos, saying they incited minors to participate in unauthorized rallies, which is illegal under Russian law. According to Roskomnadzor, TikTok deleted 38% of protest-related content. Additionally, Instagram deleted 17% and YouTube deleted 50% of posts deemed illegal.

Despite censoring attempts and temperatures as low as minus 58 degrees, approximately 15,000 people gathered in Pushkin Square in Moscow on Jan. 23. Violence broke out between demonstrators and police who reportedly roughly dragged protesters to police buses and detention buses.

“I’m not afraid because we are the majority,” protester Leonid Martynov said. “We mustn’t be scared by clubs because the truth is on our side.”

The OVD-Info protest monitor group announced that as of Jan. 23, at least 3,060 people—including 1,099 in Moscow—had been detained across the country.

“Time and time again, Russian authorities have suppressed free speech and peaceful protest through police brutality, violence, and mass arrests and January 23 was no exception,” said Damelya Aitkhozhina, Russia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities understand their obligations to respect fundamental human rights and choose not just to ignore them but to trample all over them.”

“The crackdown on dissent in Russia has become increasingly brutal—and desperate—even compared to vicious reprisals in recent years,” said Natalia Zviagina, Amnesty International’s Moscow Office Director on Jan. 28. “The authorities appear shamelessly bent on violating human rights by silencing their critics.”

On Jan. 31 alone, over 5,100 people were detained during protests in Moscow and other Russian cities.

“The Kremlin is waging a war on the human rights of people in Russia, stifling protesters’ calls for freedom and change. This is a desperate attempt to silence criticism, and it needs to stop,” Zviagina said following the occurrences on Jan. 31.

“All peaceful protesters and activists detained for peacefully participating in protests are prisoners of conscience and must be released immediately and PEOPLE ATTEND A PROTEST AGAINST THE JAILING OF OPPOSITION LEADER ALEXEI NAVALNY IN ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA. VALENTIN EGORSHIN/AP PHOTO

unconditionally. Police must stop using unlawful force and instead uphold their obligation to protect the human rights of Russian people.”

In preparation for Sunday’s protests, riot police and national guard troops shut down seven metro stations and blocked streets in Moscow. The protest in Moscow was originally planned to be held on Moscow’s Lubyanka Square, headquarters of the Federal Security Service—who Navalny blames for the poisoning—however, the police presence forced the protest to other central squares.

Despite knowing the potential repercussions of attending protests, people throughout the country still felt it was necessary and worth the risk.

“I understand that I live in a totally lawless state. In a police state, with no independent courts. In a country ruled by corruption. I would like to live differently,” said a protester in Moscow, according to Reuters.

“I do not want my grandchildren to live in such a country,” said Vyacheslav Vorobyov, who attended a rally in Yekaterinburg, Russia. “I want them to live in a free country.”

Other countries have criticized the actions of the Russian government.

According to Reuters, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have asked the European Union foreign ministers to discuss sanctions on Russia for Navalny’s detainment.

Swedish Foreign Minister and chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Ann Linde, condemned “the excessive use of force by authorities and mass detention of peaceful protesters and journalists.” Lind also told Russia “to release all those unjustly detained, including Navalny.”

“The [United States] condemns the persistent use of harsh tactics against peaceful protesters and journalists by Russian authorities for a second week straight,” said the U.S. secretary of state, Antony Blinken, according to The Guardian. “We renew our call for Russia to release those detained for exercising their human rights, including Alexei Navalny.”

Russian Foreign Ministry described Blinken’s statement as “crude interference in Russia’s internal affairs” and accused the US of attempting to worsen the situation, according to AP News.

“Navalny’s case has received a foreign policy dimension artificially and without any foundation,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, asserting that Navalny’s detention was a right of Russian law enforcement agencies. “It’s a matter of observing the law.”

A Moscow court denied Navalny’s appeal for release and a hearing scheduled for Feb. 2 could change his original three and a half year suspended sentence to one that he must serve in prison.

“I want to express my full support to all those who come out in the streets because only they are the last obstacle to complete degradation of our country, the last obstacle for those in power to steal everything,” Navalny said in his closing message at the appeal hearing. “These people are in fact defenders of our country and patriots of our country.”

SAM GARCIA

IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION WILL RESUME THIS FALL

PSU ANNOUNCES PLANS TO REOPEN CAMPUS, BOLSTER ENROLLMENT AND INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS

DYLAN JEFFERIES

Portland State administration announced on Jan. 27 that campus will be reopening for in-person instruction in the fall. Additionally, the administration is making adjustments to enrollment requirements in order to bolster enrollment and student success.

The application fee for incoming undergraduate students will be temporarily eliminated and the minimum GPA requirement for incoming students will be lowered starting on Feb. 2. These changes are a part of PSU’s “Open for Fall, Open for All” initiative.

“[PSU] is announcing today our COVID relief package,” PSU Provost Susan Jeffords said in a video released on Jan. 26. “PSU is committed to helping by easing these major concerns: getting into college, succeeding on campus, and achieving a college degree. This fall, all of us at [PSU] are looking forward to being safely back on campus, and we’re removing barriers for anyone who wants to make higher education a part of their own personal recovery plan.”

“We also understand that a highschool GPA isn’t the only way to measure future success, especially during the pandemic,” Jeffords continued. “For the next three years, we’re pledging to reduce the minimum GPA requirement, making college truly achievable. This is the right thing to do as we work to align our equity goals with PSU’s access mission.”

Additionally, “Open for Fall, Open for All” will create a new summer bridge program for selected incoming highschool students to help acclimate them to the college environment. The initiative will also expand eligibility for the Four Years Free program and create more affordable on-campus housing for selected students.

“More than eliminating barriers to entry, PSU wants to make sure that every single student is successful once they’re here,” Jeffords said. “To help with that, we’re offering a free summer bridge program for selected students. It will serve as an introduction to higher-education, and is designed to give students the knowledge and context to do well in their coursework when they get started in the fall.”

“This is our COVID relief package,” she stated.

The university will continue to operate primarily remotely over the spring and summer, according to PSU President Stephen Percy.

“For Spring 2021, we will continue with primarily remote instruction at PSU and anticipate continuing to be mostly remote through the summer term,” Percy wrote in an email. “We have every expectation that widespread vaccinations will cause infection rates to decline significantly over the summer, making it safe for us to resume in-person learning in the fall. Accordingly, PSU is planning for a return to primarily in-person instruction for Fall 2021. We are grateful for the continued partnership with the unions as we prepare for a safe return to campus in the fall. Just as we did prior to the pandemic, we will continue to offer an array of online courses and programs.”

“In close collaboration with our public health partners and union colleagues, we expect to lay out in the coming months how we plan to bring employees—and eventually, students—safely back to campus,” Percy stated. “Our fall 2021 plans will follow public health guidance for social distancing, gathering size, mask-wearing, airflow, and additional safety measures.”

The “Open for Fall, Open for All” initiative addresses an ongoing budget crisis the university is experiencing due to the pandemic. Early enrollment numbers are lower than anticipated for incoming freshmen for the fall term, exacerbating the issue. In order to beat the crisis, the university needs to increase enrollment and create new forms of revenue, according to Percy.

“Like other universities, we have experienced a decline in enrollment that is forecast to continue next year, posing serious budgetary challenges as we look ahead,” Percy continued. “We will have much more information to share soon about our budget picture, and our intention is to be transparent during this entire process.”

Despite the many ongoing challenges wrought by the pandemic, both Percy and Jeffords remain optimistic.

“As we emerge from this challenging time, I am encouraged by many of the early executive orders from President Biden’s administration that protect our public health, advance racial equity, preserve and strengthen protections for our Dreamer students, reverse the Muslim ban, and prevent discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation,” Percy stated. “We are on the cusp of recovery—for our nation, our community, and for our students—and PSU is ready to fuel that recovery, creating a more equitable and sustainable future for everyone.”

“As [PSU] marks our 75th anniversary this year, we’re celebrating not only our history of resilience, but our lasting commitment to putting students first,” Jeffords said. “As we work to safely reopen our classrooms for in-person instruction in the fall, we want to make sure that all Oregonians have a chance to join us. We pledge to help students with their mission at PSU, and to give them all the support they need to thrive once they get here.”

In addition to reopening in the fall, PSU also intends to become a vaccine distribution site through the Center for Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), which will be critical in PSU’s reopening plans, according to Percy.

“While we do not control the supply of vaccines or decide which groups of Oregonians receive them first, we are strongly advocating for students, staff and faculty in higher education to be included among the groups being prioritized for access to vaccines,” Percy stated. “PSU has not had a single reported case connected to inperson instruction on our campus. As we work to safely reopen, we will build upon the policies, practices and protocols that have allowed residents of student housing, researchers and employees in essential positions to live, learn and work safely on campus the last several months.”

Additional information about the “Open for Fall, Open for All” initiative will be provided over the coming months, according to Percy and Jeffords.