Freedom Zone Festival
The Freedom Zone Festival is an international human rights initiative dedicated to supporting political prisoners and their families. The initiative is decentralized, implemented exclusively by volunteers, and aims to provide practical assistance, raise public awareness, and offer moral support. Public solidarity actions and festivals have already taken place in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, Finland, Montenegro, Israel, Canada and other countries. From 1 to 31 October, the Freedom Zone festival, organized by our association, will take place for the first time in several cities in Switzerland: Zurich, Geneva, Basel, and also online.
Over the past 10 years, the number of political prisoners in Russia exploded by 15 times. According to the project “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial,” at least 4,000 people are being detained for political reasons in Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine. This is a conservative estimate—in reality, the number could be at least twice as high.
In modern Russia, anyone can become a political prisoner; sometimes, it is not even necessary to be an activist or be involved in politics. The imprisonment often comes as a surprise not only to the political prisoners themselves, but also to their families. Children lose their parent, elderly relatives lose their support and assistance. Here are just a few examples of the reasons why people in Russia are detained:
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Yevgenia Maiboroda, 74 years old, retired, received a five-year and six-month sentence in a general regime colony for two reposts on social media.
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Ibrahim Orudzhev, 24 years old, a student, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for taking photographs of a Military Registration and Enlistment Office building in Moscow.
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Nadia Rossinskaya, 30 years old, has been sentenced to 22 years in a general regime colony for helping Ukrainian refugees.
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Artem Kamardin, 35 years old, a poet and a civil activist, was sentenced to seven years in prison for reading anti-war poems.
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Arseniy Turbin, aged 15 at the time of his capture in 2023, was a student at a secondary school and was sentenced to five years' detention in a correctional colony for watching the information materials of the opposition political figures.
During the Festival, our association will host exhibitions, film screenings, roundtable discussions, charity auctions, letter writing evenings, and many other events. Our goal is to draw attention to human rights violations, show solidarity with political prisoners, and support them financially. This is an opportunity to hear and be heard, to meet like-minded people, and to offer tangible help to those who are fighting for all of us.
All donations received between 1 September and 31 October 2025 will be transferred to the Freedom Zone project and serve to cover:
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Legal and financial assistance for political prisoners.
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Court costs, medical care, rent, basic necessities, and transportation costs for relatives of political prisoners, including their children, partners, or even pets.
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Moral and daily support.
A reminder: donations sent through our association are tax deductible in Switzerland! You can make a donation by transferring an amount of money directly to our account, or you can set up a one-time or regular donation in any convenient way. At the end of the festival, we will provide a full report on the collected donations and the expenses paid.
Program
Zurich
4 October, 3 p.m.: An evening dedicated to writing letters to political prisoners @The Bridge
We invite you to an evening of writing letters to political prisoners as part of the Freedom Zone festival. The event will take place on Saturday, 4 October, at 3 p.m. in Zurich at the café BRIDGE, located at Europaallee 22, on the second floor. There is a children's room in the café, so if you come with children, they will find activities to keep them busy while you write letters. All the stationery will be provided: pens, postcards and paper. Come and write a letter of support to those who fought for civil rights, freedom of speech and fair elections, ended up incarcerated and are facing a cruel and inhumane system. A simple letter is a signal that ‘we remember you.’ It serves not only as moral support, but can also relieve pressure from the system. You are welcome to join us even if you have never written a letter before; we will be happy to explain and help you write one! Address: The Bridge, Europaallee 22, 8004 Zürich, 2nd floor Free entrance, donations are welcome.
16–26 October: Exhibition ‘Portraits of Hope’ @Photobastei
From 16 to 26 October, the Photobastei in Zurich will host the moving exhibition Portraits of Hope, a project created by the coalition People for Free Russia, where the portraits of more than 120 sick political prisoners, many of whom are virtually unknown to the public, will be displayed. These artworks give a human face to their stories, helping to raise awareness, inspire compassion, and motivate people to take action and get involved. Many prisoners are elderly, disabled, or have cancer. They were jailed for peaceful protest or for expressing their opinions. Featuring artists from Russia (many anonymously), Europe, the United States, and Ukraine, the project showcases artistic styles ranging from hand-drawn to AI-generated images. The artists who created these portraits are also generally unknown, and exhibiting their work gives them an opportunity to feel their importance and to make a real contribution to the fate of political prisoners. Address: Photobastei, Sihlquai 125, 8005 Zürich Free entrance, donations are welcome.
22 October, 7 p.m.: Film screening: Being a Relative of a Political Prisoner @Photobastei
The documentary film "Being a Relative of a Political Prisoner" portrays the life of the political prisoners' families. The protagonists of the film are the relatives of Boris Kagarlitsky, Yegor Balazeikin, Yan Ksenzhepolsky, Ruslan Ushakov, Artyom Kamardin, Denis Kamenev, and others. The film features the relatives of Boris Kagarlitsky, Yegor Balazeikin, Yan Ksenzhepolsky, Ruslan Ushakov, Artem Kamardin, Denis Anokhin, Dmitry Ivanov, Nikita Tushkanov, Andrey Edigarov, Bakhrom Khamroev, Ilya Shakursky, and Alexander Skobov. Their stories provide testimony of the experiences faced by relatives of political prisoners: pressure, fear, the struggle for their loved ones' rights, and daily life while awaiting their release. The film illustrates how political repression in Russia affects not only the prisoners themselves, but also their families. Address: Photobastei, Sihlquai 125, 8005 Zürich Free entrance, donations are welcome, registration is required.
26 October, 3 p.m.: Round table discussion ‘Prisoner Exchange: A Ray of Hope or a Vicious Circle?’ @Photobastei
The round table is dedicated to discussing the moral, political, and legal aspects of prisoner exchanges, as raised in a statement by Boris Kagarlitsky, a Russian sociologist and left-wing publicist who has been designated a foreign agent in Russia. In his statement, Kagarlitsky opposes participation in exchanges, considering expulsion from the country a form of repression, and calls for the fight for the full release of all political prisoners without discrimination. His position raises acute questions: is the exchange of political prisoners a humane act of rescue or a compromise with repressive regimes? What are the risks of turning political prisoners into an “exchange fund” for dictatorships? Should prisoners themselves have the right to choose between freedom abroad and struggle at home? At the round table, we will discuss: - The ethical dilemmas of exchanging political prisoners: saving individuals vs. fighting for systemic change. The problem of compiling exchange lists: who decides who to release? - The role of the international community in the release of political prisoners: assistance or complicity in repression? - Political prisoners as a global problem: how to stop the growth of repression in the world? - Alternatives to exchanges: how to achieve the complete release of all prisoners of conscience? Roundtable guests: Luzia Tschirky (Swiss journalist, author, and expert on Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and Russia's war of aggression), Andrey Pivovarov (Russian politician, former political prisoner), Marianne Binder-Keller (member of the Swiss Council of States, communications consultant, publicist). The discussion will be moderated by Gulnaz Partschefeld, lecturer in Eastern European Culture and History, Moderator, Head of the Events at the University of St. Gallen. The round table will be held in English. Address: Photobastei, Sihlquai 125, 8005 Zürich Free entrance, donations are welcome.
Geneva
October 13, 6:15-8:00 p.m.: Roundtable discussion: “Music in Exile: A Conversation with Russian-speaking Musicians Who Left Russia After February 2022” @University of Geneva
This round table is dedicated to Russian-speaking musicians who were forced to leave Russia for political reasons. It is part of a series of events on Russian-speaking artists in exile following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The series is organized by the University of Geneva and the Sorbonne in Paris. The round table will be attended by Yana Okhotenkova (jazz musician), Pavel Fakhtdinov (singer-songwriter), and Dmitry Kurlyandsky (electronic music composer). The discussion will be moderated by Louise Martin-Chevalier, associate professor at the Sorbonne and specialist in contemporary music in Russia and Central Europe. We will discuss musical creativity in exile, the specifics of working in emigration, as well as repression and censorship in the music industry in Russia. At the end of the round table, Pavel Fakhtdinov will perform several of his recent songs on the guitar. The discussion will be held in Russian with consecutive translation into French. Admission is free, no registration is required, donations are welcome. Address: University of Geneva Room Phil 201 22 boulevard des Philosophes 1205 Geneva Online: https://unige.zoom.us/j/69815346909
October 19, 2:00-4:00 p.m.: An evening dedicated to writing letters to political prisoners and screening of the film “Repression for the Whole Family” @Maison des Associations
We invite you to an evening of writing letters to political prisoners as part of the Freedom Zone festival. Currently, more than a thousand people are imprisoned for political reasons in Russia. Writing letters remains an essential means of moral support for people fighting for their beliefs. It is also a legitimate expression of protest against the human rights violations and political oppression to which these people are subjected. Now more than ever, political prisoners need our support. During the evening, we will discuss various aspects to consider when corresponding with political prisoners and share all the materials needed to send letters. We will also watch the film “Repression for the Whole Family” during the evening. This is a short documentary (20 minutes) in which the relatives of Russian political prisoners share their memories of their childhood, their path to politics, and the circumstances of their cases. Through cross-referenced responses, personal stories are revealed, showing the human side of those who were imprisoned for their beliefs. The film is in Russian with French subtitles. Address: Maison Internationale des Associations Salle Jacquard Rue des Savoises 15, 1205 Genève Free entrance, donations are welcome.
21-25 October: Exhibition "Repression Federation" @University of Geneva
From October 21 to 25, the University of Geneva will host an exhibition of artworks created by political prisoners. The exhibition, prepared by the Memorial's Archive of Political Prisoners' Art, showcases impressive works that go beyond simple resistance to repression and Russia's war against Ukraine. Political imprisonment robs people not only of their freedom and voice, but also of their entire lives. However, even in prison, creativity continues to thrive. Using meager materials—pens, scraps of paper, handmade pigments—prisoner artists preserve their humanity, share their experiences, and demonstrate incredible resilience. The exhibition features drawings and prints by political prisoners from Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine. Each work is accompanied by the author's biography, recounting their life before arrest and in prison. Among them are works by Galina Dovgopolaya, a Crimean pensioner sentenced to 12 years for treason, sculptor Sergei Bryukhanov and Pavel Korshunov, who began painting while in pretrial detention, Yegor Balazeikin from St. Petersburg who was still a schoolboy when he was imprisoned, and Samara eco-activist and artist Irina Izmailova. For political prisoners, creativity becomes both a way to document the harshness of imprisonment and torture, and a means of giving free rein to memories and dreams. This collection has already been exhibited in Vienna, Berlin, Tokyo, Prague, and Visconti Castle near Milan. The exhibition is organized by the association “ Future Russia – Switzerland”, the Russian Department of the University of Geneva, and the human rights organization “Mural Alexeï Jaccard”, with the support of the project “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial” and the Memorial Switzerland as part of the “ Freedom Zone” festival. Address: University of Geneva Uni Mail Bd du Pont-d'Arve 40, 1205 Geneva Admission is free.
Basel
19 October, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.: An evening dedicated to writing letters to political prisoners and screening of the film “Repression for the Whole Family” @QuBa Quartierzentrum
We invite you to an evening of writing letters to political prisoners as part of the Freedom Zone festival. Never written a letter before and don't know where to start? Not sure how to send a letter? We will tell you everything you need to know and provide all the necessary materials for writing letters! Letters can also be sent electronically, so bring your preferred device. If you don't speak Russian but would like to send words of support, we will help you with the translation and sending of your letter. We will also watch the film “Repression for the Whole Family” during the evening. This is a short documentary (20 minutes) in which the relatives of Russian political prisoners share their memories of their childhood, their path to politics, and the circumstances of their cases. Through cross-referenced responses, personal stories are revealed, showing the human side of those who were imprisoned for their beliefs. The film is in Russian with German subtitles. Address: Quba Quartierzentrum, Bachlettenstrasse 12, 4054 Basel Free entrance, donations are welcome.
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